Restaurants and retail open in phase two, others remain in limbo

Jun 8, 2020

Phase two of Governor Charlie Baker’s plan to reopen the state started on June 8, with businesses like retail stores, restaurants, childcare facilities, hotels and warehouses opening up. Some local businesses were prepared and opened immediately, while others have to wait until later into phase two to hear reopening guidance from the state.

Kate’s Simple Eats in Marion was all set for opening. With socially-distanced outdoor seating on its deck, all it needed was the approval from the state. The restaurant opened the same day of the announcement that eateries could open with outdoor service only.

“It was a relief quite frankly,” said owner Kate Ross. 

During the shutdown, Kate’s moved to takeout only, closed temporarily on April 1, started offering soup for pickup the following week, then wine bottle sales, and then reopened on June 3 for takeout.

In its first day after opening, Ross said that Kate’s saw more customers than she normally expects for a Monday. Throughout the day, she posted photos on Facebook of people eating and drinking on the deck, a place she hopes will give people a chance to get out of their homes. 

“People are psyched to get back to normal life,” Ross said. The restaurant is working to have even more outdoor seating in its parking lot and hopes to extend its hours to before its current 10 a.m to 3 p.m window in early July.

Retail stores can now open up with a limited capacity of 40% of their maximum occupancy.

After closing up shop on March 22 and reopening with curbside pickup for two days a week on April 17, Wings N’ Things owner Brenda Budlong said it “feels great” to have customers back in the store because she “hasn't seen them in so long.”

The bird-focused store in Mattapoisett, can only have eight people inside at one time.

Budlong said that although business was slower when she was working two days a week, people appreciated the store being open so that they could buy bird feeder and enjoy watching birds from their backyards at home. 

Business was steady on the first day of opening, and a customer told Budlong that Wings N’ Things was the first store they’ve been to since the virus started.

While many businesses are able to reopen in the first step of phase two, others still have to wait until the state announces when additional businesses can open in this phase.

The Secret Garden Spa in Rochester will remain closed, after being hopeful that its massage therapy and facial care businesses would be able to open on June 8. 

“It’s kind of a catch-22,” said owner Marjorie O’Brien. It’s great that spas are included in phase two, she said, but it’s hard because the state hasn’t set an opening date.

“We’re just hanging in limbo,” O’Brien said. She is used to working from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., so not seeing customers all day is a “real struggle.”

O’Brien said she has been renovating the space in the off-time.

Her customers want to see O’Brien and her daughter, who also helps run the spa.

She has a list of at least 20 people to call when Secret Garden is open to book appointments, and her daughter had to cancel appointments for June 8 that she booked in anticipation of opening.

When they do open again, O’Brien is concerned about certain procedures.

“How are people getting facials going to wear a mask?,” she asked. 

And while O’Brien has a list of early-bird clients, she is unsure if others will want to get a massage or facial out of fear of the virus

“I’m ready to rock and roll — but am I going to have clients?,” she asked. 

She and her daughter already keep their shop clean and sanitized in their normal day-to-day because of their line of work, so O’Brien said they won’t have to add much more to their cleaning procedures when the state releases guidelines.