Five and Dime

BY VALERIE VINYARD

Next time you’re calling to order dinner from a restaurant, you might be able to add a side of toilet paper.

Mayor Regina Romero recently took executive action to authorize Tucson restaurants operate as pop-up grocery stores. Tucson has joined the dozens of cities nationwide that have converted to pop-ups.

“Our restaurant community is at the heart of Tucson’s cultural, social and economic fabric,” Romero says. “I encourage all Tucsonans to continue rallying around our restaurants by ordering takeout, purchasing gift cards, and now, by visiting them for their grocery needs.”

The authorization permits restaurants to sell packaged food, produce, paper goods and cleaning supplies without changing its current business licenses.

Several Tucson restaurants had already converted to makeshift markets, including Hotel Congress, Ghini’s French Caff e and Jonathan’s Tucson Cork selling hard-tofi nd items such as toilet paper, pasta, eggs and home meal kits.

The move was made to help local restaurants across the state off set losses as a result of the closure of dining areas as a result of the spread of COVID-19, according to Gov. Doug Ducey.

The order, which is in eff ect until further notice and will be revised or renewed every two weeks, allows restaurants to resell items they bought wholesale to the general public without having to comply with normal labeling requirements.

“Even with dine-in and carry-out options still available to patrons, many Arizona restaurants are struggling due to COVID-19,” Ducey says. “The executive order provides fl exibility for restaurant owners to safely sell prepared and bulk foods or supplies they have on hand and can’t use right now. We are proud to support Arizona restaurants with this reform.”

Of course, much of the market pricing is higher than you’d fi nd at your average grocery store. Think airport pricing, such as $1 for a roll of toilet paper; $6 for two rolls of paper towels; $25 for 5 pounds of ground beef or chicken breast; and $5 for a bag of tortilla chips.

Coralie Satta, chef and owner of Ghini’s French Caff e, has been open for 27 years.

“We have been stocking pantry essentials in our restaurant for our community since this crisis began,” Satta says. “Some items fl uctuate in pricing week to week.”

Items include eggs, fl our, salt, sugar, breads and pastries. Satta ticks off more

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“We have bottled water, sugar, quick oats, almond milk, soy milk, toilet paper, pasta, yeast by the ounce and pound, salt, kosher salt, parboiled rice, bags of 10 latex gloves, box of 100 gloves, unsalted butter, Kleenex, packs of napkins and local honey and bee pollen.

“And, of course, we have a restaurant. We are open for takeout and delivery. We have family-size take-and-bake meals and a fully stocked incredible bakery.”

In addition to its regular takeout menu, Jonathan’s Cork is selling meats and pantry staples.

“We’re off ering fresh-cut steaks and salmon, onions, potatoes and other staples,” chef and owner Jonathan Landeen says. “We request a 24-hour notice on these orders, and this service is available for curbside pickup.”

Hotel Congress started its online HC Market to off er essential items. Order at least $25 worth of goods before 1 p.m., and guests’ items will be ready for pickup between 3 and 6 p.m. the next day. The inventory of products includes produce, eggs, bread, meat, cheese, milk, toilet paper and other necessities as well as readyto-bake Cup Cafe meal specials and cocktails to go. Hotel Congress’s main restaurant, The Cup Cafe, is still open for to-go orders.

Even chains are getting involved. Panera Bread at 6129 E. Broadway Boulevard off ers bread, salad dressings, soups and frozen meals on its site for pickup.

Satta echoed the thoughts of many business owners.

“We truly hope that everyone stays healthy through this crisis,” she says. “We are here for you.”