Chamber Supporting Local Businesses During Pandemic
March 23, 2020 at 11:33 p.m.
By Amanda [email protected]
On Monday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a stay-at-home order for all Hoosiers who aren’t traveling to work at an essential business or traveling for essential needs, such as food or medication.
The economic ramifications of the new “normal” will have to wait to be seen for the nonessential businesses now forced to close their doors.
In the midst of it all though, there is a glimmer of good to be seen in the community’s rallying around the local owners. The Chamber set up a Facebook group last week called “To Go Kosciusko” that provides information of restaurants and bars and what they offer for carry-out or delivery. The group has almost 4,000 members.
“The website’s been going great,” Chamber President and CEO Rob Parker said Monday. “We live in just an awesome community that supports our small businesses and I couldn’t be prouder of our neighbors and friends. The crazy thing is, all my meetings have obviously been cancelled, but I’m busier than ever now helping people coordinate and organize and answer questions.”
Caleb France, owner of Cerulean and Light Rail restaurants in Winona Lake and of the Winona Heritage Room, said last week’s order halting dine-in customers really took a toll.
“We laid off over 60 team members,” France said. “It’s just a huge lay off for us, and it’s super scary.”
However, in partnership with the Chamber’s promotion of restaurants, France said last week was spectacular.
“Last week was really spectacular. The support from the community was amazing and everybody came out to support us lunch and dinner all six days,” he said.
France said Cerulean’s regular menu is still available for carry-out, but they also added a new special menu called “feed your family of four.” The special menu changes every three days and costs $40 and will feed four people, France. said.
“And that’s been selling out,” he said. “We’re in The Village (at Winona) here, we’ve got a great big parking lot, so we have a good system. People can pull up, call us, and we come out and deliver it to their car,” France said. “We’re staying really busy and everybody’s coming out.”
Parker said the Chamber offices will be closing their doors but will put the To-Go banners available to restaurants and bars out on the front step if anyone wants to come pick one up while on their way to their essential business.
“We’re gonna follow the governor’s orders,” Parker said. “This is a critical time right now to flatten the curve, because this is a critical time for the health of our citizens, obviously and most importantly, but economically for the health of our state and our country and the world quite frankly.”
On Monday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb issued a stay-at-home order for all Hoosiers who aren’t traveling to work at an essential business or traveling for essential needs, such as food or medication.
The economic ramifications of the new “normal” will have to wait to be seen for the nonessential businesses now forced to close their doors.
In the midst of it all though, there is a glimmer of good to be seen in the community’s rallying around the local owners. The Chamber set up a Facebook group last week called “To Go Kosciusko” that provides information of restaurants and bars and what they offer for carry-out or delivery. The group has almost 4,000 members.
“The website’s been going great,” Chamber President and CEO Rob Parker said Monday. “We live in just an awesome community that supports our small businesses and I couldn’t be prouder of our neighbors and friends. The crazy thing is, all my meetings have obviously been cancelled, but I’m busier than ever now helping people coordinate and organize and answer questions.”
Caleb France, owner of Cerulean and Light Rail restaurants in Winona Lake and of the Winona Heritage Room, said last week’s order halting dine-in customers really took a toll.
“We laid off over 60 team members,” France said. “It’s just a huge lay off for us, and it’s super scary.”
However, in partnership with the Chamber’s promotion of restaurants, France said last week was spectacular.
“Last week was really spectacular. The support from the community was amazing and everybody came out to support us lunch and dinner all six days,” he said.
France said Cerulean’s regular menu is still available for carry-out, but they also added a new special menu called “feed your family of four.” The special menu changes every three days and costs $40 and will feed four people, France. said.
“And that’s been selling out,” he said. “We’re in The Village (at Winona) here, we’ve got a great big parking lot, so we have a good system. People can pull up, call us, and we come out and deliver it to their car,” France said. “We’re staying really busy and everybody’s coming out.”
Parker said the Chamber offices will be closing their doors but will put the To-Go banners available to restaurants and bars out on the front step if anyone wants to come pick one up while on their way to their essential business.
“We’re gonna follow the governor’s orders,” Parker said. “This is a critical time right now to flatten the curve, because this is a critical time for the health of our citizens, obviously and most importantly, but economically for the health of our state and our country and the world quite frankly.”
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