Seattle restauranteur thinks it could take weeks or months to fully reopen dining rooms

Staff shortages and ongoing pandemic concerns could slow the full reopening of many restaurants and bars, according to Seattle restaurateur Ethan Stowell.

SEATTLE – Ethan Stowell, CEO and founder of Ethan Stowell Restaurants in Seattle, says it could be weeks or months before his restaurants fully reopen after the statewide lift of pandemic restrictions on Wednesday.

“Everyone thinks you turn it back on and restaurants are all back to normal, that won’t be the case,” Stowell said on Tuesday.

He said that not everyone on his team is comfortable with a full house right now, and he wouldn’t have the staff to run 100% of his properties.

“We’re not ready to be fully occupied and busy so we’re going to take it step by step, we’re not going to rush things, we’re going to try to get things done the best we can and make it as comfortable as possible for everyone” said Stowell.

As the industry celebrates the reopening milestone on Wednesday, there are concerns about how long it will be for small businesses to recover.

The Washington Hospitality Association announced that more than 2,000 restaurants in the state have closed since the pandemic began.

Now, on the cusp of fully reopening, the industry is facing a shortage of 80,000 employees, the association said.

“Please show grace to the workers who are there, they are either learning a new job or working for two,” said Anthony Anton, president and CEO of the Washington Hospitality Association.

Stowell repeated the feeling.

“Be patient with your restaurants, be nice to them, there are a lot of things going on behind the scenes that you may not know and they are just doing their best, all of them,” he said.

Stowell said he anticipates reopening gradually as companies like his try to regain a foothold.

“It will be a bit bumpy for a few more months, I hope that everything will return to normal by the end of the year and everyone will feel good,” he said.