DAYTON — Dayton area restaurants say the process of re-opening safely, and successfully, is filled with hurdles and obstacles.
Thai 9 restaurant in the Oregon District is the latest eatery to open its dining rooms and patio.
Managers there say they delayed a month longer than Governor DeWine ordered, as they tried to get the right balance between safety and customer comfort.
“The revenue is not what is priority to the owner but eventually the business has to go on as long as we do everything under the safety rules”, said Thai 9 General Manager Anuntaya Kaipet.
Kaipet told News Center 7 they wanted to do their best to avoid any shutdown that could result if an employee tested positive for the coronavirus, while also preserving their customer’s excitement for a night out.
Kaipet said, “We want to take a look at how they can still enjoy their experience at Thai 9 while still being safe”.
Other restaurants that opened patios a month ago say they’re still struggling with a major hit on their income.
Brixx Ice Company General manager Chris Bhai said, “If you had to put a number , maybe 50 to 60%”.
Brixx is right across First street from the Dayton Dragons stadium downtown.
The team not playing this season is a big blow to their recovery.
“I can understand why there’s not as many people downtown, that’s impacted our business and of course baseball is such a big part of where we’re at”, Bhai said.
Both restaurants told us that the “work from home” movement is also hurting business.
One other challenge both restaurants face is keeping experienced and knowledgeable employees.
Bhai told us that, “Some people had to take other jobs, some people have moved out of town, some people have moved in with parents, it’s a challenge for everybody.
But Thai 9’s Kaipet is trying to look at the future with optimism.
“Whatever the new normal is, we’ll try to adapt”, she said.
Both managers told us it will be months, maybe years before they expect to hit the same revenue levels they experienced before the coronavirus shutdowns.