Restaurateurs, Pasadena Officials Work to Mitigate Economic Impact of Indoor Dining Ban

Abel Ramirez the owner of El Portal Mexican Restaurant welcomes guests which offers out-door dining, after Governor Gavin Newson closes indoor dining amid the Covid-19 pandemic, at the Playhouse District in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

A server wearing protective face gear serves guests at El Portal Mexican Restaurant which offers out-door dining, after Governor Gavin Newson closes indoor dining amid the Covid-19 pandemic, at the Playhouse District in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

The servers at El Portal Mexican Restaurant are ready for all guests for out-door dining, after Governor Gavin Newson closes indoor dining amid the Covid-19 pandemic, at the Playhouse District in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

Abel Ramirez the owner of El Portal Mexican restaurant and his staff welcome all guests to his restaurant which offers out-door dining this 4th of July weekend at the Playhouse District in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

Gales Italian Restaurant on S. Fair Oaks Ave., now offers outdoor dining, after Governor Gavin Newson closes indoor dining amid the Covid-19 pandemic, in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

Gale Kohl the owner of Gale's Italian Restaurant on S. Fair Oaks Ave., welcomes guests to her outdoor dining area, after Governor Gavin Newson closes indoor dining amid the Covid-19 pandemic, in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

The pastry chef at Gale's Italian Restaurant prepares a to-go dessert order at Gale's Italian Restaurant on S. Fair Oaks in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

Gabriel Gumboa a server at Gale's Italian Restaurant welcomes guests to their new outdoor dining area, at Gale's Italian Restaurant on S. Fair Oaks in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ( Photo by James Carbone)

Chef Leo, left, Gale Kohl, and Gabriel Gumboa, welcome all guests to their new outdoor dining area this 4th of July weekend, at Gale's Italian Restaurant in Pasadena on Thursday, July 2, 2020. (Photo by James Carbone)

Gale Kohl wasted no time when she heard Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered a halt to indoor dining at Los Angeles County restaurants Wednesday while she was working at the restaurant she owns in Pasadena.

In the little more than a month since reopening to dine-in service in late-May following the governor’s previous order to cease indoor restaurant operations, the eatery could seat 130 inside and had three small tables with umbrellas out front for al fresco dining, said the proprietor of Gale’s Italian Restaurant, 452 S. Fair Oaks Ave.

“I heard the governor yesterday, and I started throwing my dining tables out on the sidewalk,” said the proprietor of Gale’s Italian Restaurant, 452 S. Fair Oaks Ave.

She was busy Thursday setting up a large tent in her parking lot to use as an outdoor seating area after receiving the final OK from her landlord, she said. City officials cleared the way for such an adjustment in early-June. The tent will be able to accommodate several dozen diners, with barriers and other measures in place to help maintain social distancing.

“The city has been incredibly kind… giving us a little more latitude in trying to stay alive,” Kohl said.

Permits fees related to outdoor dining have been waived, along with requirements that businesses maintain a designated number of parking spaces,” she said. “The city was good. They made it so it was pretty straightforward.”

The adjustments were made via the City Council and the Economic Development and Technology Committee, according to City Councilmand and committee member Andy wilson.

“We adjusted a number of ordinances to allow businesses to more easily and quickly occupy public outdoor space including sidewalks, alleyways and parking lots, Wilson said.

Kohl said she felt fortunate that her business was able to adjust, to some extent.

“This has been devastating for us, this whole thing. I don’t know how the little rests are going to make it. It’s truly horrific,” she said.

Takeout orders played a major role in keeping the business afloat during the prior ban on indoor dining, Kohl said. The restaurant set up a new app to help make it easier for customers to place orders and streamlines its contactless service practices.

Rather than using food delivery services, employees who had to be let go when dining first closed were soon brought back as delivery drivers, she said. “Why would I give away jobs when people don’t have jobs?”

The impact of the pandemic restrictions is worsened by the uncertainty the virus brings.

“It’s been so hard trying to figure out — opening, closing, opening, closing,” Kohl said. “You just feel like, ‘What else is going to happen.’”

The City Council’s Economic Development and Technology Committee in May held a discussion on the possibility of closing down a portion of Colorado Boulevard to allow restaurants to use as dining areas.

The plan has not moved forward, in large part, due to opposition from some local businesses, Vice Mayor Tyron Hampton said.

The governor cleared restaurants in Los Angeles County to reopen for indoor dining just over a week later.

The possibility of street closures to create additional outdoor dining space remains under evaluation, Wilson said.

“In areas where there was overwhelming demand that couldn’t be readily met with these quick/easy solutions, we asked staff to evaluate converting some street parking to parklets and ultimately considering possible street closures.”

Retired restaurateur and former city commissioner Robin Salzer, who ran Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ in Pasadena for nearly four decades, said the move is needed.

“Now is the time for the Pasadena city leaders to immediately without fee or fine open up alleyways, sidewalks, parking lots, parklets and to close down all or part of Colorado Blvd. and the Playhouse District for restaurant dining. It is a win-win opportunity for everyone involved and the timing couldn’t be more important,” he said.

When non profits, political candidates and elected leaders come calling for donations or contributions the answer is always a resounding YES from the Pasadena restaurants. Now they need your help to survive and sustain themselves to a still undefined business future. The Pasadena restaurant community needs your help now. I hope that a cogent forward thinking vision will bring all sides together to embrace what’s best about Pasadena and to make it even better.”

Kohl said she was open to the idea of street closures for dining space, especially if the current ban on indoor dining continues long-term, but suggested that a smaller street, rather than Colorado Boulevard, might not be the right place for it.

Both business owners and city officials agreed that a strong restaurant industry is good for the city.

“Our economy is based on restaurants, events — we’re kind of a destination city,” Hampton said. “I just hope that we’re able to keep our businesses afloat.”

The current ban on indoor dining was expected to remain in effect for at least three weeks.