‘The name of the game is adapt, adapt, adapt’: Dayton restaurant owner speaks about staying closed

Credit: Sarah Franks

Credit: Sarah Franks

Emily Mendenhall, owner of Lily’s Bistro, spoke on MSNBC about why she has made the decision not to open her outdoor dining spaces even though the state has allowed her to do so. She stressed in the interview that the restaurant is still open for takeout.

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Mendenhall said that her staff worked to start contactless takeout and delivery service while they were not permitted to host dine-in service. While the bistro has outdoor dining areas, Mendenhall will not be opening them yet.

 

“We have three different outdoor areas and three different indoor areas. We decided we wanted to give it a little more time,” she said.

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To make her final decision, Mendenhall spoke to her staff, regular customers and other area business owners. She did not share when the restaurant would reopen, but she said it is a matter of balancing several factors including keeping her staff healthy, managing sanitizing spaces and purchasing any equipment she may need to keep the restaurant clean.

“The name of the game is adapt, adapt, adapt,” she said.

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