'We're Not Going To Be Defeated By The Coronavirus': Local Restaurants Fight To Stay Afloat Amid COVID-19
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota's governor provided a sigh of relief for restaurants this week by deferring the monthly sales tax payments until April. For some places, that's tens of thousands of dollars. And the community is coming together, as the survival of the industry looms.
Inside Parlour in St. Paul, the chairs may be up but the grill is going. Customers can choose take-out or delivery.
Owner Brent Frederick says they, like many restaurants, are in a better spot because of community.
"Everyone's been deferring payments or kind of made a plan, let's figure it out in the future together," Frederick said.
That's the landlord, the bank, the vendors. But he says if one domino drops, the short-term plan falls down.
"If our landlord says we don't have to pay rent but everything else we still have to pay for, it doesn't work," Frederick said. "It has to be all or nothing at this point."
Customers have stepped up, buying $7,000 in gift cards in 24 hours.
"Gives us cash to be able to pay payroll, pay healthcare premiums," Frederick said.
The focus for Parlour and Jester Concepts restaurants is focused on the employee. Two-hundred and fifty people across four Twin Cities spots had to be let go. A few were hired back to run the to-go orders: two cooks and a host per day at Parlour.
That's the here and now. Frederick says they must also look down the road when the bills are due.
"When we re-open that's the scary part. We're going to open with a mountain of debt so I'm hoping some state or federal relief will come our way," Frederick said.
And they're not alone.
"Whether you have one small shop in Northern Minnesota or you have 10 shops here in Minneapolis, everyone is going through the same struggles," Frederick said.
He says the take-out keeps them relevant and should account for 10% of normal business. For now, that has to be enough.
"It kind of gives a signal that the restaurant industry is still alive. We're not going to be defeated by the coronavirus," Frederick said.
There's a new petition to ask the state to allow restaurants to sell to-go containers of alcohol. It's already been temporarily approved in New York, Illinois and Texas. Frederick says the move here would double their income.
