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Local restaurants go beyond state mandate that limits public gatherings

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Posted at 8:07 PM, Oct 07, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-07 21:08:30-04

GREEN BAY (NBC26) -- Some local businesses are taking the newest emergency order a step further by temporarily closing dine-in services.

Gov. Tony Evers announced the third emergency order Monday, which limits some public indoor gatherings to 25 percent capacity. Restaurants and bars are included.

Redwood Inn remained empty Tuesday night. After two employees tested positive for COVID-19, the restaurant closed for two weeks following orders from the health department.

"I was always the person like, "is this real or isn't it real?"But when it hits your own business it turns into a real thing," said John Smits, owner of the Redwood Inn.

Smits has been involved in the restaurant business since he was eight years old. Redwood Inn has been around for more than 50 years. He said he never imagined anything like the pandemic.

Tuesday is the first day Redwood Inn opened since temporarily closing. Smits said at 25 percent occupancy, Redwood Inn could have 50 customers at a time. Although there can be limited capacity under the state mandate, Smits opted for curbside pick-up only.

"If I reopen and another person that works for me comes up with COVID I'll have to lock my doors for two more weeks," Smits said. "I don't sleep good at night thinking about it, but we have to do what we've got to do right now."

Kavarna Coffeehouse is taking a similar approach. They are only offering curbside pick-up and delivery services. Their dining area has been closed since May.

"We have just decided to maintain that model at cost to ourselves and to our business throughout," said Michael Hastreiter, co-owner of Kavarna Coffeehouse. "We just think it's the right thing to do."

The establishment was closed for a month and a half and reopened on this business model in May. Since the start of the pandemic, Hastreiter said they had to lay off around 20 employees. Now, his family is running the business seven days a week.

Although they're doing more than is required, Hastreiter said the state mandate is a step in the right direction.

"The sooner we as a community get this figured out and get ourselves to a better place, the sooner we can start to do things more normal," Hastreiter said.

Redwood Inn will reevaluate the dining situation on a weekly basis. Hastreiter said Kavarna Coffeehouse will continue this method of service until the virus is better managed in the area.

The state mandate will go into effect Oct. 8 and will last through Nov. 6.