SOCIALLY
DISTANCED
SUPPERS WILMINGTON DINERS GO ALFRESCO
by LAURA MOORE photos by MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER
10
WILMA
AUGUST 2020
E
ating outside has always been a fun, relaxing experience, but amid a pandemic, its openair qualities seem even more attractive. In accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, the city of Wilmington in collaboration with the Downtown Business Alliance and Wilmington Downtown Inc., launched Downtown Alive to open additional outdoor seating for area restaurants. Four blocks of downtown Wilmington close to traffic Thursdays through Sundays through September 7 to allow for a pedestrian thoroughfare. With restaurants only able to operate at 50% capacity, the Downtown Alive initiative expands seating space outdoors.
“People just feel more comfortable eating outside during this time,” Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo says. “We are a tourist destination with a great climate, so until 100% capacity comes back into play, it’s the right thing to do.” The initiative has caught on beyond the parameters of the fourblock closure, inspiring businesses to be creative with spaces available to them. “Businesses, not just within the blocked-out areas are using adjacent buildings to expand their seating and even alleys beside them to add seating, like at the Copper Penny,” said TERRY ESPY, president of the Downtown Business Alliance who spearheaded the initiative. The alfresco dining adds to the “character and charm of Wilmington,” Espy says. Keeping patrons and staff safe is the focus, but keeping the character and flavor of downtown Wilm-
