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Comfort Food & Covid
The Mockingbird Flies in the Face of Adversity During COVID-19 Crisis Brian Sullivan
When Mikey Corona and husband Brian Riggenbach started their underground supper in Chicago, they had the same vision in mind that they keep today: to create a warm atmosphere for friends to eat and enjoy each other’s company. Flash forward, and, even in the face of insurmountable adversity brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, that space is still open for business. “We made the decision to close our restaurant before the first orders went into place,” says Corona. “We saw what was happening, and for the safety of all of our staff, we had a discussion with all of our business partners, and we were kind of on the forefront of that.” At just 2 ½ years old, The Mockingbird paused on March 17, shutting down operations and informing staff they needed to file for unemployment as soon as possible. The couple then went into the kitchen and took all of the perishable foods to distribute to them, offering their staff as many resources as possible to get them through that period. The two bunkered down and waited, while finishing a few projects here and there to pass the time. “There’s always something to do,” says Riggenbach. “There’s a million little things always on the list.” The Mockingbird closed down completely for approximately two weeks, then opened back up for curbside, and many of the locals and fans of the restaurant came out to support them. They changed the menu slightly to fit the general needs of the community, transforming the previous business model.
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September 2020
outandaboutnashville.com
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