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Beth Dixon never expected that 6 feet of space would play such a pivotal role in her job and those of her fellow employees and in the fate of the restaurant where they work. The Perch bar manager has been formulating a seating chart for the restaurant's parking area, encompassing 10 socially distanced tables, in accordance with Gov. Ralph Northam’s phase-one reopening plan for the commonwealth, set to take effect in Richmond Friday, May 29.
“I think our team just really wants to ensure that we are all going to have jobs after this is over,” says the Richmond dining industry veteran. “The obvious revenue stream would be huge to us.”
The first phase of Northam’s reopening plan will allow restaurants to offer outdoor dining at 50% capacity. In preparation, Mayor Levar Stoney has announced he’ll allow Richmond restaurants to seat customers on public streets and open areas through a new program with an expedited application process.
Staff members from the city's parks and recreation, public works, police, and planning departments comprise the internal task force that will oversee the program. Public Works Director Bobby Vincent, who is leading the work group, says he envisions the program allowing restaurants to offer new or expanded patio seating — also called “sidewalk cafes” — based partially on their proximity to suitable streets or open spaces.
The work group is accepting feedback on the plan from restaurant owners and local civic and business associations and plans to have a formalized process up and running by the end of this week, Vincent says.
Though sidewalk cafes are currently allowed in the city through an existing permit process, the new program would expedite the procedure for eligible restaurants eager to reopen once restrictions are lifted. Possible seating sites could include places such as city parks, sidewalks and streets, the 17th Street Market and other outdoor areas, Vincent explains.
“We’re shortening the amount of information that is required to apply for a sidewalk cafe in order to help businesses be able to move that information along as quickly as possible,” he says. Once the process is finalized, the work group aims to review and approve completed applications within two business days.
Dining on sidewalks and in parking lots isn’t the only aspect of the restaurant experience that could change once the phased reopening begins rolling out. At a briefing Wednesday, Stoney asked restaurants that plan to reopen to keep logs of everyone they seat by asking for a name and phone number, similar to the way they would take a reservation. The process will be completely voluntary, he says, but will help contact tracers with the Richmond City Health Department to track COVID-19 outbreaks if they occur.
As restaurants continue to seek solutions, some owners view the outdoor dining program as a first step in a long road ahead, and an opportunity they are willing to seize. As of Tuesday, 37 restaurants had expressed interest in the program through an online form, according to Stoney spokesman Jim Nolan, though not all applications submitted were complete. Restaurants who have already inquired about the program will be contacted by the city to obtain any outstanding information for their applications.
Perch applied for the program earlier this week, and Dixon says that while the Pacific Rim-inspired Scott’s Addition restaurant welcomes diners, it will implement time limits on seating, as well as food and beverage minimums for guests, to ensure that the risks are worth the reward. Initially, Perch will only use half of its parking lot for outdoor dining — a third of which is leased by Bingo Beer Co. — in order to continue using its takeout window.
Jay Bayer, co-owner of Saison and Bingo Beer Co., also applied for the program. To match sales from last year, Bayer explains that Saison and Saison Market would need enough space to accommodate about 65-70 guests a night, which means flipping tables frequently. He says restaurant owners are fighting for every dollar, and in order for them to be remain viable, they need sales.
“I have not yet found a business model that is not a money loser with our current capacity to operate,” he says. “We will need expanded outdoor seating until it is safe to host guests in our dining rooms. Expanding upon this [program] or opening some streets would be greatly beneficial to the industry."
Forgiveness or deferrals on business personal property tax, machine and tool tax, and business license expenses are also ways to benefit restaurants, he says, adding that safety is crucial. "We need clear communication and ample lead time on base levels of safe operations from the city," Bayer says. "Many of us will take extra precautions and delay opening to assure staff are properly trained and that safety measures are in place. "
In the meantime, instead of permission to offer al fresco dining, some restaurant owners are seeking more communication and clarity from city government on how to move forward and an understanding of the data being used to determine local guidelines. Restaurateurs express apprehension in regard to rehiring staff and the financial costs of investing in the necessary safety measures as well as questions regarding topics such as restroom use and trash disposal.
Richmond Restaurants United, a grassroots organization formed by local restaurant owners from L’Opossum to Longoven, drafted a letter to Stoney last week asking to be involved in the conversation as he searches for ways to save their businesses.
Kevin Liu, an RRU founding member and co-owner of The Jasper and Carytown Cupcakes, says he wants the city to realize that a one-size-fits-all approach is not the way to rescue the Richmond dining scene.
“It’s not just having a seat at the table,” Liu says, noting that he will be meeting with Stoney in the future to discuss the situation. “It's the fact that we have all these very independent, not homogeneous restaurants.”
Richmond patio dining is limited, and many businesses are small or lack space in which to expand. “It’s a tiny faction of overall food businesses [that can offer outdoor dining],” says Liu. “I don’t want to knock the efforts of those businesses that can open, we [at RRU] just don’t want to distract the conversation away from the much larger issue, which is beyond 'Can I expand on the sidewalk?' ”
City Council members express enthusiasm about the plan’s intent, but agree that clearer guidance is needed to address concerns from restaurants and their patrons.
“Everyone is extremely excited to get back to their community spaces and support their local restaurants in whatever shape or form that takes,” said Fifth District City Councilwoman Stephanie Lynch. “I think our residents have been incredibly staunch supporters of their local businesses, and we will continue to support them in whatever form we need to.”
Lynch, who represents restaurant-heavy neighborhoods including Carytown and parts of the Fan District, says the city needs to be thoughtful in its approach and should clarify whether the plan will encroach on parking availability and how city employees will enforce 6-foot seating barriers.
“There’s groups that are definitely thirsty and hungry for more detailed citywide guidance to come out,” she says, referring to local civic and business associations.
Second District Councilwoman Kim Gray, who represents parts of the Fan and Scott’s Addition, also says the city's program will need to ensure outdoor seating is accessible for those with disabilities, and that ample parking space is made available to allow restaurants to stay competitive with businesses in neighboring counties that have already reopened.
“It’s important to be able to make it as convenient for folks [as possible], but also to be able to give restaurants the flexibility to open up in the streets and to have a walkable, mall-type setup,” Gray says. In response, Vincent says seating along public rights of way will be ADA compliant.
Once it’s up and running, the outdoor dining permit will likely last until Dec. 31, and would then be up for renewal pending current social distancing guidelines. The city is fielding outdoor seating expansion requests through RVAStrong, its online COVID-19 resource hub.
Michelle Williams, co-owner of the 25-year-old Richmond Restaurant Group, recently reopened the patio of The Daily Kitchen & Bar's GreenGate location in Henrico County, the largest outdoor seating area of the group's portfolio, with 26 tables each spaced 6 feet apart. Williams spent $1,400 on hand sanitizing stations, in addition to investing in touchless faucets, plexiglass dividers to be placed between tables and face masks, which employees are required to wear. She says it felt like "The Twilight Zone."
“Until we can go back indoors at full capacity, [patio dining] would make all of the difference in the world,” Williams says, noting that the application process to expand patio dining in the county was “easy.” Chesterfield County recently launched “Let’s Take it Outside, Chesterfield,” offering reopening guidelines for restaurants and other businesses in the locality.
Williams expresses concern that these early phases of reopening may be a harbinger of a very different dining experience in the future. “It makes me worry that the way dining works as we have known it could have completely changed forever in the course of a week,” Williams says. “I hope that’s not true, but right now the name of the game is adapt and streamline.”
