Seattle businesses celebrate moving into Phase 3 with some planning to hire back staff
SEATTLE - The hospitality industry is celebrating the next step forward in the Healthy Washington: Roadmap to Recovery plan after Governor Jay Inslee's announcement Thursday.
In a media briefing, Inslee announced the entire state will move to Phase 3 of the state's reopening plan starting March 22. This means restaurants can begin operating at 50 percent capacity, doubling their current capacity limit.
"Fish is best when it’s eaten hot, not when it’s taken away, so this is great news," said Bob Donegan, president of Ivar’s.
The company operates more than 60 locations including several seafood bar restaurants in Washington state. The location on Aurora Avenue in Seattle will soon expand from allowing 16 diners inside to 32.
"March 21 would be Ivar’s 116th birthday, so we’re thanking the governor for a birthday present allowing us to go to 50 percent," said Donegan.
This next step into Phase 3 will allow many restaurants to hire back their former employees.
A year ago on March 12, Donegan said there were 793 employees on the payroll. On March 12 of this year, that number has dwindled down to 363.
"To go to people who had worked with us for 30 and 40 and 45 years, and to tell them we were putting them on furlough because not anything they had done, but because of the closure of indoor dining. It was a terrible day," said Donegan.
The Washington Hospitality Association (WHA) estimates more than 4,000 restaurants have permanently closed since March 2020.
"I feel it’s been a lesson on how to get by on the least amount that you can get by on," said Ryan Lengle, owner of Slice Box Pizza.
The owner of the SODO neighborhood restaurant said it’s been a challenging year. Lengle applied for business grants and loans for the first time and was victim to two break-ins at the pizza shop in the last few months. He said he looks forward to the expanded capacity at local restaurants and stadiums.
"It’s kind of a stigma. It’s a lonely place, and a lot of people have been hibernating in the neighborhoods and it’s kind of been an empty zone down here," said Lengle. "It would be a welcome sight to see some old and new faces coming back to life down here."
The WHA’s advocacy work continues and believes industry workers should be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine now. Currently, hospitality workers are 22nd in line for the vaccine.
"We’re playing with a loaded gun here," said Donegan. "We got to get them vaccinated because they’re talking serving customers every day."