‘It’s about fairness.’ Some Centre County restaurants defy Pa.’s indoor dining ban
A handful of restaurants in Centre County have remained open for indoor dining in defiance of Pennsylvania’s new, temporary mitigation efforts.
Some bar and restaurant owners hobbled by the spring shutdown are concerned the latest cutback could put an end to the business they built over several decades.
Others, like Hot Dog House owner Jeff Grimes, see Gov. Tom Wolf’s decision as one that unfairly targets small businesses and largely ignores chains. He’s owned the Spring Township business for 35 years and plans to remain open for indoor dining despite the state’s order.
“It’s not about money. It’s about fairness and government overreaching,” Grimes said. “I’m gonna stand up for that every single time. I think it’s unfair when you pick-and-choose who can be open and who can’t be open.”
Wolf’s administration banned indoor dining starting Saturday and continuing through at least Jan. 4 to slow the accelerating spread of the coronavirus. Takeout and outdoor dining remain viable options.
Republican state lawmakers and hospitality advocacy organizations have rebuked the restrictions, with Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association President and CEO John Longstreet predicting they’ll result in further financial devastation.
“Hundreds of businesses are teetering on the brink of financial disaster, and the livelihood of thousands of employees are on the line,” Longstreet said in a written statement. “... Restaurants find it increasingly challenging to conduct outdoor dining as temperatures dip, and realistically cannot survive on takeout, delivery and carry out alone.”
Bars and restaurants in State College are typically preparing to enter a winter lull before Penn State football’s annual Blue-White game. And that downturn may now be exaggerated.
Downtown State College Executive Director Rob Schmidt acknowledged there’s a “strong possibility” that some businesses close.
“Restaurants aren’t failing. Restaurants are being failed,” Schmidt said. “This is a disaster not caused by the restaurant industry, and it’s affecting the entire industry.”
URBN Flavourhaus has flouted Wolf’s latest mitigation efforts, posting an online petition Wednesday that asked police departments in Centre County to state publicly that they will not enforce the governor’s orders.
The contemporary coffee shop, whose owner did not respond to a request for comment, joined the petition that said Wolf’s efforts are “not in the best interest of our neighborhoods, our families, our livelihoods and those of our neighbors.”
Enforcement of the state’s orders has proven to be thorny.
The state initially placed an emphasis on education, something that purportedly changed in November. Wolf’s administration said it would be “stepping up enforcement efforts,” which could include fines up to $300 and “regulatory actions” for repeat offenders.
Citations are designed to be doled out by local law enforcement, but it’s not immediately clear if that is happening. The mitigation efforts “puts all local law enforcement in a bind,” Centre County Sheriff Bryan Sampsel said.
Ferguson Township police are still embarking on an educational campaign and have not handed out any citations to township businesses, Chief Chris Albright said.
“It’s not the fault of restaurant and bar, or gym owners or their employees that COVID-19 spreads easily in these conditions,” Wolf’s spokesperson wrote in a statement. “It’s the nature of the disease.”