Reopen Or Not Reopen: THE Question In Hartford, Tolland Counties

HARTFORD/TOLLAND COUNTIES, CT — The business climate in Hartford and Tolland counties seemed like a hilly ride on a roller coaster full of emotions as Wednesday's coronavirus-related reopenings approached.

The haircutting industry was rife with anger — or continued precaution — as Gov. Ned Lamont changed his mind on Monday and kept them closed. Meanwhile, many towns were loosening the restrictions on restaurants to allow improvisational outdoor seating and a return to sit-down dining.

Meanwhile, some sectors planned on opening on the long holiday weekend or further studying the health climate.

Manchester suspended certain zoning requirements to pave the way for new, temporary or expanded outdoor dining at its restaurants. Town officials developed an "expedited application process," that required a brief application, site layout plans and other related documentation.

Glastonbury and Enfield took similar measures.

Two brewhouses in Manchester — Urban Lodge and Labyrinth — were studying their layouts in efforts to include expanded outdoor seating.

Urban Lodge's Michael Gerrity said it has been a team effort with other businesses.

"We are planning to open next week," he said. "We have worked with the town of Manchester to have patio seating and expand our seating on Purnell Place. This will allow for a larger number of tables while maintaining social distancing.

"The town and our neighbors have been so supportive of the reopening process. We will be taking reservations for an added convenience. This way when you come downtown, you know you have a table and you aren’t waiting. Additionally, we have partnered with Lucky Taco, Filomenas and Sukhothai to provide food and we will deliver right to your table. We have so many great restaurants right near us, it will be fun for our guests to have Urban Lodge be the downtown dining room."

In Somers, a cozy white picket fence motif was ready to greet diners at Joanna's Restaurant and the plan was to offer most of the regular menu, a staffer said.

Even downtown restaurants with limited space were able to pull off an improv. At Dominic's On the Ave in the Hazardville section of Enfield, tables were squeezed in near the sidewalk and on the side of the building. Dominic's, which features authentic Italian pizza, opened just before the coronavirus pandemic hit and was closed on March 24 for a month. Business was booming for takeout when it reopened, even without the tables. The restaurant will open for its regular Thursday schedule.

Dominic's on the Ave in Enfield (Tim Jensen/Patch)

Shea's American Grill, on Route 83 in Manchester near the Vernon line, always featured an extensive patio area. It was set to reopen for lunch at 11:30 Wednesday, a staffer said.

Malls were attempting to get back into the swing of things under tight scrutiny. For example, Westfarms was to reopen on a reduced daily schedule while exercising extra steps "to place customer health and safety above all else."

The precautions include:

• Cleaning and disinfecting the center throughout the day, and after-hours, with a focus on high-touch, high-traffic surfaces
• Using a stronger disinfectant when available
• Encouraging the use of masks where it is not already mandated by local, state or federal laws
• Using signage and decals to help customers with social distancing
• Offering hand sanitizer at designated stations
• Turning off drinking fountains
• Removing furniture and/or resetting seating areas in common areas to allow for greater social distancing

Mall walkers will be granted access before the center opens to the public (10 a.m.). Westfarms will be offering curbside pick-up in designated areas adjacent to the four main mall entrances.

Blue Back Square will welcome the public back to the shopping district Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m.

Westfarms is set to reopen. (Amanda Sirica/Westfarms)

Popular outdoor venues were also opening. Sonny's Place recreation center in Somers had bands booked from early June into the fall. The Matterhorn mini-golf center in Canton was waiting until the long holiday weekend, but was planning to open.

The Mansfield Drive-In began selling tickets online this week and has revamped the restrooms to make them "safer." Movies have already begun selling out, according to a social media post. The Southington Drive-In has delayed opening until later in the summer.

Lamont and Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island teamed up on the salon flip-flop.

Hair salons and barbershops were initially included in Phase 1 of Connecticut's reopen plan, however Lamont said that after having extensive discussions with owners and employees of the businesses, he feels that it is in "everyone's best interests to provide for some additional preparation time and also align the state with its regional partners."

Lamont said, "We've been hearing a lot of feedback from many owners and employees, and at this time I think the best approach is that we hit pause on the reopening of hair salons and barbershops, take a step back, and allow some more time as preparations continue to be made."

The change in policy created so much fervor throughout the industry on Monday and Tuesday, it was hard to tell what the consensus was. Angry protests were staged and Lamont was blasted all over social media.

One of the angry owners was Jeannine Cairl, who owns Jeannine's Hair Salon in Enfield.

"I was told I'm not compassionate because I want to work and support my family without government assistance," she said. "My job as a hairdresser is only compassion. I have elderly clients who can't wash their own hair. I have clients with mental health issues. Hair is essential. I hate this virus as much as anyone else but I'm not willing to sacrifice living. I love making my clients feel better. You know, after you get a haircut, your outlook on life is way more positive ... After a cut, how do you feel? A little bit more free, a little bit more human?"

Don't miss local and statewide news about coronavirus developments and precautions. Sign up for free Patch alerts and daily newsletters from all across Connecticut.

See also: CT Reopening: Here’s What’s Open, And What Is Still Closed

• CT Town Moves To Defy Lamont's Reopening Orders
• New Coronavirus Numbers Yield Positive News For Connecticut

Other salon owners, like Amanda Rae Knight of Attitudes in South Windsor, thought they needed more time to acquire the proper personal protective equipment or both clients and staffers.

"Our salon team has been discussing, at length, the things the state has mandated we do and the state says our "new normal" will affect our small business. As many of us do not agree with some of these intense rules, we must comply as a whole to meet new state standards at all times to ensure not only clitnts' safety, but ours as well and our families at home."

She's trying to open the week of June 8.

"To ensure safety, we must have an array of PPE items as well as certain cleaning supplies, which have been very difficult to locate at this time. I have been able to order the items we need but due to the high volume of demand they will not be available until June 6. There for, our salon will be open to the best of our ability on June 8."

____

Patch editor Tim Jensen contributed to this report.