Elmhurst's Coronavirus Response: Downtown Already Quiet

ELMHURST, IL — Downtown Elmhurst was a quiet place Monday. The mail carrier who works the downtown route was surprised how many parking spots were available.

On Sunday, Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered all restaurants to close their doors to dine-in customers by the end of business Monday through March 30 because of the coronavirus.

But in downtown Elmhurst, many restaurant owners had followed the order ahead of schedule early Tuesday afternoon, with signs on their doors indicating they would still do carryouts. Fewer downtown employees were there Monday, likely working from home.

Sue Tan, owner of Kan Ya Ramen and Asian Gourmet, said she understood the reasoning behind the governor's order.

"I would like for everyone to be safe. Hopefully, everyone will get well," she said. "We will follow what they say."

When a Patch reporter visited, two people were in the dining room. Tan said business was far less than usual.

Egg Harbor Cafe, part of a Chicago-area chain, only had a handful of customers as it prepared to close at 2 p.m., its usual hour of closing. One of the managers, Cynthia Martinez, said the restaurant had an "OK amount" of customers for lunch, but not the usual rush.

Martinez said employees could file for unemployment and that the restaurant would help laid-off workers with food. "We can help each other out," she said.

Like other restaurants, Egg Harbor would still do carryouts.

At lunch Monday, Livia Italian Eatery had a grand total of two customers, said Kevin Singer, the general manager. He said he was more concerned for employees than with the drop in business during this time.

"The worst thing is for the hourly staff. They rely on tips," he said. "Many of them live from paycheck to paycheck."