Local restaurants open at different paces
By Lynsi Musselman
With the first phase of loosening government restrictions underway, local restaurants are beginning to open their doors for inside dining.
However, restrictions and changes are still being implemented to ensure the safety of patrons and staff members.
Some Albany proprietors are showing some extra cautions, while others are ready to get back to business.
Prairie Star has been “hanging in there” with sales from the gas station portion, but since they reopened Friday for in-store dining food service, there has been a tremendous upswing in business, said Treca Edington owner of Prairie Star.
“With the increase in travel after the government announcement and locals getting back to eating out, business is not quite 100 percent, but there has been a vast improvement,” Edington said.
Edington added that Prairie Star will still be offering catering and take-out service. She is hopeful that with locals getting back together to celebrate special events, the catering portion of the business will pick up also.
“Sunday was great,” Edington said. “We got to see all the faces we love back in the Prairie Star.”
The Icehouse also opened for inside dining on Friday.
McKade Marshall said the Icehouse is taking walk-ins and reservations but can only allow 20 people in each dining area. There are three areas to dine in, and six people are allowed at a table.
“We have spaced the tables out for social distancing,” Marshall said. “If a party has more than six people, we will separate them into two tables. Also, the bar will not be open, but drinks are permitted with a food order.”
Marshall added that take-out orders with curbside delivery are still available.
“We have seen an increase in business since Friday, and we are appreciative of everyone,” Marshall said.
Fort Griffin General Merchandise & Beehive Saloon will reopen its dine-in facilities on Friday.
According to Beehive’s Facebook page, the restaurant will only have dine-in service on Friday and Saturday nights.
Reservations will be required with three seating times and a one and half hour table time.
Lunch specials for to-go orders will continue and are posted weekly on Fort Griffin’s Facebook page.
Daniel Acosta, owner of Taqueria Acosta, said he is set up and ready to go, with two tables six feet apart inside and two more tables outside.
“This has been an experience,” Acosta said. “We have been here for the first responders with to-go orders, and we are ready to move forward with dine-in service.”
Acosta said his hours have adjusted to 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
Two local restaurants are still getting prepared to open their dine-in facilities but are taking some extra precautions first to ensure their establishments are ready.
Juan Gandara, owner of Los Cazadores Mexican restaurant, said he is delaying the reopening of his dining room until the end of this week or the beginning of next week.
“There is some maintenance to perform at the restaurant, and then we will be ready to serve in the dining room,” Gandara said. “The drive-through and pick up to-go orders are still available for both lunch and dinner.”
Dairy Queen manager Jennifer Cook said the DQ will reopen for dine-in services on Monday, May 18.
“This gives us time to completely sanitize and scrub the restaurant,” she said.
Cook also said that a few more employees need to be hired to be ready for the reopening. However, the drive-through will still be available until the business is completely reopen.
Michelle Alexander at Vintage Vanilla said the decision to delay reopening, except for to-go orders, is because of the threat that possible out-of-town guests bring to the whole facility.
“If there is exposure from another town, then we would have to shut down the pharmacy,” she said, “and safety is our biggest priority. We just need to be extra cautious a little longer.”
— —
