(WXYZ) — The governor has extended her executive orders, keeping some businesses closed until the end of the month. Those businesses are considered places of public accommodations, including bars and restaurants.
Restaurants have been hit hard by the shutdown despite being able to stay open for takeout only. Now they have to push back reopening until May 28.
Justin Winslow is the president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association.
“Anxiety, fear, a lot of frustration,” he said that is what many restaurant owners are feeling.
Even though the stay-at-home order remains in effect until May 15, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pushed back the reopening date for some businesses until May 28.
The extension includes:
* Restaurants
* Bars
* Entertainment Venues
* Indoor & Outdoor Movie Theaters
* Casinos
* Gyms
* Libraries
* Museums
With restaurants remaining closed until the end of the month, Winslow says the results could be devastating. He says eateries in Michigan are permanently closing at a rate of 20 a day.
“If this industry (has a) massive fallout, our state economy, for a long time, will have a massive fallout,” Winslow said.
Even though many restaurants are surviving on carry-out only, the Michigan Restaurant & Lodging Association says 55% of the industry is closed. Those business owners say it doesn’t make "dollars and sense" to stay open for takeout.
“For some it just isn’t really an option,” Winslow said.
That includes The Block and Flood’s Bar & Grille. Stephanie Boyd owns both with her family. Floods is located near Greektown Casino and opened 30 years ago. The Block has been in Midtown for five years. Both haven’t been open for takeout, but Boyd says that will change mid-May.
“I’m confident that we will be able to manage that,” she said.
The restaurant association is continuing to ask for your support, whether it’s getting takeout or dining in once businesses open back up.
Boyd says finances have been hard but she’s keeping a positive attitude.
“I’m hopeful that we’ll come back bigger, stronger, better in the near future,” she said.
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