Virginia: ‘This is 100% COVID-related’. SaltBox Oyster Co. is permanently closed – IOTW Report

Virginia: ‘This is 100% COVID-related’. SaltBox Oyster Co. is permanently closed

RichmondTimes: Saltbox Oyster Co. restaurant is the latest business victim of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chef and owner Matthew Tlusty confirmed this week that he closed his year-and-a-half old oyster and seafood restaurant at Willow Lawn for good. 

“This is 100% COVID-related,” Tlusty said.

The coronavirus pandemic has decimated the full-service restaurant industry as the social distancing necessary to slow the spread the virus has effectively killed the entire business model.

In Virginia, restaurant dining rooms were shuttered for more than two months and even under the current Phase Three guidelines, which went into effect July 1 and allow full capacity inside restaurants, the 6 feet of distance between tables and the continued closure of bar seating has meant, operationally, less than full capacity. Regardless of capacity, though, most people are still not comfortable dining out. more

h/t PHenry.

19 Comments on Virginia: ‘This is 100% COVID-related’. SaltBox Oyster Co. is permanently closed

  1. Until commercial lease rates roll back significantly, retailers, but especially restaurants, will not be viable under 6′ rules and other arbitrary covid restrictions.

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  2. Beef, Chicken, Pork, Seafood, Lamb have all gotten more expensive even though there should be a glut on the market. Same with beer, liquor and wine and most edible commodities…..It’s like asking the ‘payday loan’ people why they charge 35% interest. The answer is because they can….kinda like asking governmental employees why they are still employed….

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  3. People are still not comfortable with dining out??? Americans have lost their spines. (And minds.) My husband and I have been out to as many places as we can go to, from Clearwater, Florida, to Winchester, Virginia, hanging out in large family groups, WITHOUT masks, and guess what? We are FINE. The sheer insanity of the flop sweat is the only thing that makes me ill.

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  4. from the article
    “As the protestors headed toward Saltbox, … he threw open the restaurant’s doors … and applauded the demonstrators … The demonstrators were so moved, Tlusty said, that about half ended the night dining at Saltbox … “

    didn’t learn a thing, did he? … the very people that helped put him out of business, he applauds.

    @ The-Mamomma ~ me too … been out since mid-June in Lockdown Larryland … at least twice a week, no problems at all

    7
  5. Same thing here in Seattle.
    Tom Douglas is all in on black lives matter and the riots. He has 17 eateries and supports
    BLM, just closed down 2 of his spots and more to follow.
    He does not get it.
    But he is woke.
    The sad part is he makes really good food.

    1
  6. Restaurant parking lots are mostly empty these days and we aren’t going not because we are afraid at all but I don’t think it is enjoyable to go out, have to wear a mask to my table after getting my temp checked, be served by masked servers and have to sit tables apart from people and ultimately have a ridiculously unenjoyable experience. We always went out every weekend and we have not bothered with any of it, no take out, no visits nothing and I plan to avoid it until we can enjoy the experience.

    4
  7. We’re in a very high end tourist business. Shut down full stop. A co-worker is going to work for the census. If I did that I’d have to go down to Miami and suck dick to get my self-respect back.

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  8. Not comfortable dining out? You have no idea what happens to your food ‘back there’ before they bring it out, yet for decades prior to Covid-1984 you were fine with it. All it took was a dangerous flu bug and a non-stop propaganda campaign to bring it all down. Now everyone is sitting in a dozen-car long drive-thru line to get questionable nutrition – and you feel ‘comfortable’ because the person who hands you the bag of crap is wearing rubber gloves? How good can it be if they won’t even touch it?

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