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Restaurants Preparing For Life After COVID-19

As Monroe County begins to loosen restrictions on restaurants and retail establishments, some eateries aren’t sure if they will reopen right away.

Governor Eric Holcomb eased restrictions on restaurants late last month, but Monroe County kept some of those parameters in place. 

“We opened two weeks before the pandemic, sales were great and boom this thing hit us and we had to change our entire dynamic into curbside to go carryout,” General Manager of The Standard Grain Brooke Bayer says.

Even if Monroe County allows restaurants to reopen this weekend, Bayer says Standard Grain, in downtown Bloomington, won’t open until June 1 st. Only outdoor seating will be available at that time.

“We are going to gradually phase into going from this outside dining service to bringing it indoors at a later date, still 6 feet apart,” Bayer says.

The patio at The Standard Grain has been power washed and tables and chairs will be cleaned with bleach and water after each use.

“What we’re using is a combination used by the Monroe Health Department, to use 1/3 cup bleach, with one gallon of water to sanitize all the surfaces that are out here,” Bayer says.

Additionally, every employee will have their temperature taken when they arrive at work, and they will be asked if they are feeling well.

For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page  here.

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Adam Pinsker is a reporter and multi-media journalist with WTIU and WFIU news. He was previously a reporter at WFTX in Cape Coral, Florida and KTUU in Anchorage, Alaska. In his spare time Adam likes working out, watching football, basketball and baseball and exploring Indiana's outdoors.