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FOOD & DRINK
SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | MARCH 22, 2020
Food & Drink
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Scottsdale restaurants struggle to survive BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer
A
t Los Olivos Mexican Patio, springtime is usually the busiest time of the year. “But with the cancellation of Spring Training, concerts and the art festival, my numbers are down,” said Los Olivos owner Ruby Corral-Peck. “We have had cancellations and no-shows.” At Dilla Libre in southern Scottsdale, owner Mike Baum said he went from peak sales to a screeching halt in four days. “Wednesday of last week [March 11], we were prepping for the Scottsdale Art Festival and a big Spring Training weekend. We didn’t even know Spring Training or the Art Festival were canceled until Thursday afternoon,” he added. All Dilla Libre’s food truck and catering events have been canceled for the foreseeable future. Restaurants in Scottsdale and Valleywide are reeling from the effects of COVID-19 and many are calling on the public to help support them. “It’s been quite devastating, to be candid,” Steve Chucri, president and CEO of the Arizona Restaurant Association said. “We certainly have restaurants down 40 and 50 percent – and it’s climbing with the announcement yesterday from the City of Phoenix they are asking restaurants to close their dining rooms to resort to take-out only,” Chucri added. “It’s devastating to a restaurant.” Following recommended limits on gatherings of more than 10 people, restaurants in Scottsdale and beyond have had to pivot to takeout, curbside and delivery while others have temporarily ceased operations. Evening Entertainment Group’s restaurants and bars, including Hi-Fi Kitchen & Cocktails, Bottled Blonde Pizzeria & Beer Garden, Sandbar Mexican Grill, Casa
Dilla Libre Dos owners Mike Baum and Daniel Pawenski are among scores of restaurteurs struggling to survive after Gov. Doug Ducey ordered all eateries in the county to provide only takeout or delivery service.( Progress file photo)r)
Dishes like these are still obtainable from local restaurants as long as patrons don't mind picking them up or having them delivered to their home or office. (File photo)
Amigos Tacos & Tequila, Chauncey Social, Bevvy, RnR Gastropub, The Mint Ultra Lounge, and others have all temporarily closed. Spellbound Entertainment Group also temporarily closed all of its bar and lounge properties through March 31, including Flint by Baltaire, Upstairs at Flint, Clubhouse at Maya, The District, Dakota,
SHADE at W Scottsdale and The Living Room at W Scottsdale. Because Scottsdale initially chose not to ban restaurant dine-in, some Scottsdale-area restaurants – including Los Olivos, AZ/88, Ramen Hood and others – continued to invite dine-in guests. But they were forced to close anyway by Thursday after Gov. Doug Ducey ordered
all Maricopa County restaurants to provide only delivery and takeout services. Prior to that order, City of Scottsdale spokesman Kelly Corsette said, “While they recommend restaurants close dinein options, they have not yet determined a mandatory closure is necessary. But Corsette anticipated the possibility of a state-mandated closure of in-house dining, stressing, "if state and county health authorities decide restaurant dining rooms and bars must be closed, we would support it.” The Coach House was one of those restaurants that had hoped to stay open for dine-in. “The Coach House is a Scottsdale institution. We are a family-owned business who supports and loves the Scottsdale community,” said Drew Hassler, general manager of the Coach House. “We have remained open in other times of adversity and will continue to do so.” He could not be reached for comment after the governor issued his order. With one-third of Americans stating they plan to dine at restaurants less frequently, according to restaurant industry research group Technomic, and with dine-in down as much as 75 percent, restaurants had to do more than adjust their hours and focus on takeout and delivery. Los Olivos had to cut employees’ hours. “We do not fire or layoff anyone, but … without the public support, many small businesses will go out of business and many people will lose their jobs,” CorralPeck said. In an effort to support local restaurants, the ARA launched AZ Takeout Week on March 18. Chucri anticipates the 180 restaurants usually participating in AZ Restaurant Week in the spring will take part in AZ
see RESTAURANTS page 29
