An Open Letter to Gov. Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, and All Mass. Representatives and Senators
Dear Editor,
We’re a group of owners and managers of restaurants and related companies. We want to reopen restaurants, safely and legally, on May 19, 2020, provided that virus hospitalizations aren’t rising. Thirty days after that, we want to open at full capacity. Towns and cities would be allowed to slow this timetable if local virus hospitalizations are rising now or in the future.
However, these localities would announce an alternative time frame immediately so that we and our hard-working employees can plan accordingly.
Hospitality provides 300,000 jobs in our state, 150,000 were laid off, and more jobs are lost every day. 60,000 jobs may never return. We can operate safer than a Walmart, Target, Home Depot, or a supermarket, which host many more customers per day, are not usually as clean, and six feet distance is close to impossible. We’re one of the cleanest, most regulated, industries. Unlike the owners and presidents of most of these multibillion-dollar, multinational companies, we live here and work in our stores, so our safety measures impact us and our families. Cleaning and sanitation for the safety of customers and employees has been the most crucial component of our industry for decades; it’s what we do first and foremost.
To open legally and safely, we will:
• Reconfigure our patios, dining rooms, and bars to meet the standard of six feet social distancing
• Sanitize the facilities
• Create marked lines for waiting outside, eliminating inside waiting
• Sanitize menus after each use or replace with disposable and online menus
• Meet National Restaurant Association reopening standards
• Test employee temperatures
• Create protocol to shut down and sanitize if an employee tests positive
• Block half the restroom facilities (if room holds more than one customer)
• Wear masks
• Require customers to wear masks when not seated
• Post pictures and videos on social media to show that we’re meeting standards
No other organization or individual represents us. If you need one representative to coordinate this effort, such as a virtual conference call or a detailed written plan, we’ve chosen Dave Andelman of Phantom Gourmet and Mendon Twin Drive-In. He’s an attorney, MBA, and small business owner. He’s not in a political party or any business or political organization.
He’s not being paid for this responsibility. He’s a small business owner who represents restaurants with passion and knowledge.
Restaurants are one of the top few generators of jobs, tax revenue, and culture in Massachusetts. Hard-working industry employees have been denied the right to make a living, and many will lose their job permanently. To create a safe, legal framework to reopen, we deserve a seat at the table, guidelines and a timetable, now.
Respectfully,
MA Restaurant and Jobs Group
Rudy Alterio Stanney’s of Holbrook, Inc.
Jenifer Apazidis The Red Raven Restaurant
Jerry Azzarone Brew City
Michael Barrett. Barett’s Ale House
Mary Barrett Costello The Charlie Horse, Abington Ale House, Tirrell Room, Weston Hall,
Jones River Trading
Michael Bartosiewicz Bushel n Peck
Tanya Bergquost. Industry Chef
Marty Bloom Mission Oak, Mission on the Bay, Burro Bar
Bob Boudreau Anchor Pub & Grill
Cabby Brini Cabby Shack
Bruce Brockway Industry General Manager
Mike and Linda Bullard Doggz & Hoggz
Damian Cahill Damian’s Restaurant & Bar
Greg Califano Volturno
George Carey Finz, Sea Level
Chris Carpenter Faneek’s Coney Island
Anthony Caturano Prezza, Tonno, Blue Ox
Jordan Chanot Speedwell Tavern
Judy Chen The China
Jay ho Chung Seoul Kitchen
Jessica Coelho Tia Maria’s European Cafe
Tom Coleman LIV Restaurant
Michael Columbia Brelundi
Greg Coughlin Longcross Bar + Kitchen, Blackmoor Bar + Kitchen
Mikey Crawford The Druid
Anowsh Dadgar Insurance Broker
Tyler DeScenza. DeScenza Diamonds
Thomas Devlin Superior Dining Group
Jim Dietz II Loft, Joe Fish, Dos Lobos
Jim Dietz Sr. Joe Fish, The Loft, Dos Lobos
Karin DiNapoli Cupcake City LLC
Dermot Doran The Mad Hatter Restaurant
Lisa Dowd Cheesey Street Grill
Dave Doyle Cowbells Cafe
Marjorie Drucker New England Soup Factory & Modern Rotisserie
Jay Duffley Executive Chef
Nate Elliott The Cellar Tavern
Domenic Fabiano Arturo’s
Jacqueline Field Amazing Pizza
David Fields Wormtown
Kirk FitzGerald The Bog Pub
Johnny Fortin Toast Office, Grateful Dead Diner, Rox Diner
Seana R. Gaherin Dunn-Gaherin’s
Ed Gillooly Baystate Wine & Spirits
Ted Gavrielidis Ted’s Place
Patrick Gibbons Alumni Sports Cafe
Chandra Gouldrup The Farmer’s Daughter
John Grasso Halfway Café, The Brook
Ellie Greenberg Alice in the Village
Geraldo Guimaraes Old Town Cafe
Aziz Elias Habr To BeiruT
CJ Haddad Haddad’s Ocean Cafe
Matthew Hanley J.P. Ryans Tavern
Todd Harrington Anzio’s
Adam Hicks Depot Street Tavern, Maddi’s Cookery & TapHouse
Ashley Holt Hidden Pig
Brian Houlihan Trident Galley & Raw Bar, Tinker’s Son, The Parrot, Galley Kitchen & Raw
Bar, Bia Bistro
Erik and Kevin Hynes Stockholders, Bay Point, 42 North, Precinct 10
Robert and Donna Jenks The Midway- Dedham
Sharon Kamens Industry Executive
Dan Keefe Summer Shanty
Leo Keka Alba
Jon Kesaris Themis, The Marsh
Tom Kirwan Finnegan’s Wake
Emanuel Leandro Leandro’s Italian Restaurant & Tavern
Neil Levine Maguires Bar & Grill
Dermot Loftus The Oysterman, The Anchor
Steve Londregan Chuck’s Steakhouse
Bill Lynch Lynch’s Tavern
Perry Makarios Spot
Sera Manzi Essex Street Grill
Nick Marshall Restaurant Professional
John and Kristin Martin Mia Regazza
John Mauro Elms Café, Simply Delicious Catering
Tom Medaglia Medaglia & Murphy CPA
Carolyn Metivier Mike’s Restaurant
Mario Michalakis Amelia’s, Sofia Italian Steakhouse
Stephanie Miller Breakfast at Stephanie’s
Jim Moran Malcolm & Parsons Insurance
Bootsy Mullin Town Tavern
Bob Murphy Portside Tavern
Howard Newburg Newburg & Co
Kathleen O’Donovan Abington Depot
Austin O’Malley Hancock Tavern
Jason O’Toole Pizza Barbone
Thomas Oliveri Civic Kitchen, Peppercorn’s, Prezo
Bryan Palazzolo Mystic Station
Nick Palermo Greyhound Tavern
Ron Patuto Lobster Express
Steven Peljovich Michael’s Deli
John Perette Johnny Konos Bar & Grill
Jimmy Pietrosanto Industry General Manager
Jason Pound Finesse Hospitality Services
Jim Quirk New England Steak and Seafood
Charlie Redd Dragon Pizza
Richard Rosen McGuiggans Pub
Todd Rotundo Salernos
Harry & Elizabeth Sarras Bates Bar & Grill
Andrea Schnell Sorelle Bar & Grill
Chris Schweiger The Oysterman, The Anchor
Julie and Bud Siciliano Heart & Soul Cafe, Ipswich
Robert Simonelli The Landing Restaurant
Kristin Smith Finnegan’s Wake
Mark Standish The Bowery
Spiros Stogiannis Easy Pie
Robert Sweeney The Banner
Lou Tarentino EMOS Recycling
Paul Turano Cook
Nick Venezia The Little Store
Wemerson Vieira Welly’s Restaurant
Michael and Susan and Emily Walker Chestnut Street Grille
Marc Warner Epic Oyster
Brian and Arlene Wilkie Warren’s Place
Dennis Wilson Central Public House
Yasmine Zakhary Yaz’s Place
Ania Zaroda & Michael Gurevich Mike & Patty’s & Hot Box