• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Subscribe
Program Guide
Watch Live

CCX Media

Skip NavigationMenu
  • News
    • Close
        • CCX News
          • CCX News Home
          • News Stories
            • CCX Daily Newcast
          • CCX News Special Reports
          • CCX Media Schools
        • Feature Segments

          • Business Matters
          • School Spotlight
          • Standout Student
          • Weekend Showcase
          • Newsmakers
        • News Tip

          Send us a story idea or news tip!
          Facebook Instagram Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
        • Apple News
    • Close
  • Sports
    • Close
        • CCX Sports
          • CCX Sports Home
          • Sports Tips
          • Hall of Fame
          • Upcoming Event Coverage
          • Play of the Week
        • Sports Coverage

          Adapted SportsAdditional SportsBaseballBasketballFootball
          GymnasticsHockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftball
          Swimming & DivingTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballWrestling
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
          Shop/Order
    • Close
  • Cities
    • Close
        • CCX Cities
          • CCX Cities Home
          • The Connection
          • In The Community
          • Our Town’s Story
          • Community Resources
          • CCX Media Schools
          • City Meetings
        • Your City

          Brooklyn Center Local News and Events
          Brooklyn Park MN Local News and Events
          Crystal
          Golden Valley
          Maple Grove
          New Hope
          Osseo
          Plymouth
          Robbinsdale
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Create
    • Close
        • CCX Create
          • CCX Create Home
          • Channels
          • Resources
          • Meet The Create Team
          • CCX Create Virtual Tour
        • Get Creative

          • Make Your Own Show
          • Free Classes
          • Contact Us
          • Polka Spotlight
          • Diversity Minute
        • RueShare

          • Member Login
          • Member Guide
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Subscribe
  • Program guide
  • Watch Live

Bars, Restaurants Adjust to New Takeout Model

4:00 PM | Saturday, March 21, 2020

When Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order on Monday that temporarily closed bars, restaurants and other places of public accommodation to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, it instantly changed the way many establishments do business.

In the case of entertainment venues, such as bowling alleys, they had to cease operations altogether.

But some bars, restaurants and coffee shops were able to stay open, provided that they could offer food and beverages to customers via delivery or takeout service.  

A Changing Landscape at Daily Dose

“We obviously had to make a big switch from dining-in to 100 percent carry-out. Whether that be curbside, take-out or delivery,” said Ben Haven, owner of Daily Dose Cafe and Espresso in Maple Grove. “So workflow has had to adapt very fast. That’s been a very interesting thing to have to deal with.”

Under normal circumstances, Haven says food and coffee sales at Daily Dose would be split 50/50. But since Haven had to cease the dine-in component of his business; salads, soups and sandwiches now make up 90 percent of his sales, while coffee purchases have mostly fell by the wayside.

daily dose

Haven says either he or his business partner now have to make deliveries to their customers. Otherwise, they have to utilize the services of GrubHub or Uber Eats to get orders to people. 

Most of their food purchases have come from staff members at nearby Maple Grove Hospital and Maple Grove Clinic & Speciality Center.

“Making sure that we keep our medical community here fed, because they’ve been a huge source of our customer base for so long,” Haven said.

However, even the medical workers won’t be able to keep Daily Dose in business all by themselves.

“For now, it’s sustainable. Obviously we’d love to see our customers back in the stores,” Haven said. “Our customer count is probably 50 percent of what it was.”

Meanwhile, Daily Dose isn’t the only business trying to adapt to a new normal.

‘Beer or a loaf of bread?’

At Wicked Wort Brewing Company in Robbinsdale, they can’t seat customers on site while the governor’s executive order is in place, so they started opening four hours earlier to sell beer via takeout to their loyal base of customers.

“The community has been super supportive,” said Amanda Carlyle, the CFO and general manager of Wicked Wort. “When they come downtown to pick up their takeout food, they’ll stop in and get a growler or a crowler to go.”

wicked wort

This system will continue until March 27 at 5 p.m., unless the governor decides to extend the temporary closure of bars and restaurants. 

While Wicked Wort has certainly gotten support from the community, the take-out business model can only go so far. Carlyle says they’ve had to lay off most of their staff this week.

“We definitely have a lot of support, but there’s only so long this will be able to go, you know what I mean?” she said. “If it’s extended further, then people are going to have to choose — beer or a loaf of bread?”

wicked wort

In Brooklyn Park, another small business hopes for a quick end to the take-out order model.

‘Our sales are cut in half right now’

Down the Street Nutrition in Brooklyn Park serves more than 80 flavors of smoothies and 20 metabolism-boosting drinks. To comply with the governor’s executive order, they’re asking customers to order drinks via text for curbside pickup or delivery within a five-mile radius. In some cases, staff members deliver the curbside pickup orders via rollerblade (see video below).

“Our sales are cut in half right now, which is a little nerve-racking,” said Jami Frey, owner of Down the Street Nutrition. “And I’ve talked to other small businesses around us in Brooklyn Park and they’re feeling the same. Our businesses have been cut in half.”

Yet while her business has been cut in half, Frey still believes the governor’s decision to close bars and restaurants to limit the spread of COVID-19 and was correct.

“The first couple days we were given notice to stay home, nobody was staying home,” Frey said. “Restaurants, bars, everybody was packed. Nobody was keeping their social distance, even though that’s what they were recommended to do. If they want us to take it serious, there’s got to be seriousness behind it, and that’s what they did.”

In the meantime, Frey and other small business owners are trying to stay optimistic as they continue to serve their customers to the best of their ability.

down the street nutrition“When the ban gets lifted for restaurants, I know the community is going to come back together and we’ll be able to bounce back,” she said. “Now, if you tell me that we’re out of business for six months, that may be a little bit different story. But if we’re talking a couple weeks, I think we can figure that out.”

Delane Cleveland, reporting

Brooklyn Park | Maple Grove | Robbinsdale

Related Stories

Leopold’s Mississippi Gardens Endures Two-Year ‘Giant Cloud’:  Leopold's Mississippi… Read More
Osseo Schools Impacted by Rising Diesel Prices:  The price at the pump for gas and diesel continues to… Read More
Robbinsdale Historical Society Shows Off Historic Clothing Collection:  The Robbinsdale Historical… Read More
Petition Submitted to Recall Robbinsdale Council Member Tyler Kline:  The Robbinsdale city clerk has… Read More
Dog-Friendly Brewery Pass Raises Money for Animal Humane Society:  Not only does a portion of every… Read More
Newsmakers: North Hennepin’s Mary Fenske Talks About New Program Educating People Behind Bars:  … Read More

Footer

NAVIGATE

  • CCX Media
  • NEWS
  • SPORTS
  • CITIES
  • CREATE
  • Job Opportunities
  • Meet the CCX Media Team
  • ABOUT CCX MEDIA
  • Annual Programming Reports
  • CABLE COMMISSION

SUBSCRIBE

Get email updates for daily story previews. “Week in Review” video links, and programming previews.

Subscribe Today

CONNECT

HAVE A NEWS TIP? CALL OUR TIPLINE AT:  763-533-1710
Send us story ideas and comments!
Get in touch with us
               
 NEWS   SPORTS
 SHOP/ORDER

LOCATION

CCX Media
6900 Winnetka Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Main Phone:  763-533-8196

CCX Media serves the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.
Copyright © 2022 CCXMedia | All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement
Web Design and Development by CEL Marketing PR Design and BizzyWeb | Log in