Seattle companies brace for brand spanking new restrictions, however some have discovered methods to adapt

Just hours after the initial shutdown, Suzette Jarding posted “To-Go” stickers on the windows of her normally busy Capitol Hill restaurant.

SEATTLE – Governor Jay Inslee’s new restrictions on slowing the spread of the coronavirus in Washington will once again have a significant impact on restaurants and businesses.

There have been more than 200 companies in Seattle that have already closed their doors due to the pandemic. While some, like Ristorante Machiavelli on Capitol Hill, have had to adapt in unique ways.

“We have changed [to take out only] Immediately, just said we’ll try, “said Suzette Jarding, owner of the Ristorante Machiavelli.” We don’t know if it will work. But we’ll try and do it as long as we can. “

Just hours after first closing in the spring, their normally busy restaurant put take-away stickers on the windows while the door remained locked but not closed.

“I never meant to close, I really felt like if we closed even for a day or two it would send a message that we weren’t going to come back,” she said.

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Jarding said she got a PPP loan the first time she shut down, but overall her sales were down 75% and she had to let go of eight of her 15 employees. She started selling goods and became a social media professional very quickly, she joked.

So far there has been no indication that further funds will be accompanied by a renewed shutdown.

“I think we’ll be fine. I hope we’re fine, ”she said.

But for hundreds of other Seattle businesses, history is over. The pandemic has forced them to close their doors for good.

Randy’s Restaurant – a Seattle staple for nearly 40 years – is the newest business to shut down due to the pandemic. In West Seattle, New Luck Toy, a Chinese restaurant and karaoke bar, announced that it will be closed for six months on November 22nd.

“I think there has to be something for business, small business, if we are to have small businesses alive when it is all over,” Jarding said.

Despite the uncertainty, Jarding said she supported another shutdown to contain the spread of the virus.

“I have a feeling that if we do nothing about it, it will come back to a point where we will lose many lives. And personally I would rather fight for this year and let everyone come back, ”she said.

The Washington Hospitality Association estimates the four-week shutdown could result in 100,000 people becoming unemployed again. This would include many restaurant workers as the restrictions require indoor food to be closed by 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

Inslee announced $ 50 million in relief through loans and grants. The governor is expected to release more details on how companies can apply for funds.

“We have to bite the bullet and do our best,” said Craig Perez, co-owner of the Virginia Inn, a bistro near Pike Place Market.

The Virginia Inn was adjusted during the previous shutdown. Perez said the bistro is updating its website and improving its take-out service. New menu items were also experimented with.

Perez believes Seattle will pull through, but not without sacrifice.

“We’re really going to focus on takeaway ordering, ordering online and taking care of our staff, and I think that’s in the best interests of the community,” said Perez.

The Virginia Inn has been a Seattle facility since 1903. Perez and his partner took ownership in 2019. The historic site survived the 1918 pandemic, two world wars and the recession. Perez is confident that the bistro will weather the current coronavirus pandemic.