For nearly four decades, the Once Upon Family of Restaurants has been a North Shore destination with a menu highlighted by lox, bagels, corned beef and cream cheese.
However, on March 25, owner Steve Geffen reported the last order was taken at the six area restaurants as operations have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Geffen said the temporary closure was a combined decision involving the approximate 120 deli and bakery employees.
“The employees were worried about the health and safety of their families and no one wanted to take this home with them,” said Geffen. “No one wanted to pass it along to the rest of the community.”
Geffen’s father, Gerry, opened the first restaurant in 1982. He died just last month.
As restaurants across Illinois were forced to either convert to carryout-only operations or temporarily close, the financial impacts have been felt both by the owners and their employees. On the North Shore, food industry workers say while they have tried to pivot their businesses to meet the new challenges, the economic outlook is still tough.
Just a few steps away from the Once Upon a Bagel shop in Winnetka, CD Young opened Spirit Elephant in late January. The vegan restaurant’s first few weeks proved to be successful.
“It was a phenomenal launch,” Young said. “We had so much and so many patrons. We were overwhelmed in a good way.”
But not long after Spirit Elephant’s opening, coronavirus became a household phrase. Young initially shifted to delivery and carryout, but that was halted when it was reported that an individual who entered the restaurant one time tested positive for COVID-19.
More Top Picks Hyperfocus In Adhd Superpower Or Trap
While the customer did not eat anything, Young immediately shuttered the restaurant and she and her staff self-quarantined for what is expected to be two weeks.
“We were lucky as the exposure was very minimal, but nevertheless we were going to err on the side of caution,” she said.
Young now hopes for an April 8 re-opening for delivery and carryout.
“We are reacting as things happen,” said Young, who added that she and her staff feel shellshocked by the rapid nature of the outbreak and all of its ramifications.
Other local restaurants remain open to the extent they can, but business is down drastically. Employers say they have been forced to cut hours and staff.
The Village Inn Pizzeria has been a part of the Skokie tapestry for 30 years for customers looking to eat while catching a sporting event on TV.
Owner Randy Miles said the shop remains open for carryout and delivery. Orders are coming in, but the financial toll is getting larger.
“It is not even close to being enough to be able to break even,” Miles acknowledged.
Like the Village Inn, pizza has also been the main offering of Todd Denenberg’s three operations in Glenview and Northfield.
Denenberg speaks of a 50% business reduction as students and employees from nearby office parks and car dealerships are no longer frequenting his eateries, which include Northshore Pizza Company. He said there has already been cutback in hours for staff and more may be on the way.
“It is a very difficult landscape, something we have never had to deal with before,” Denenberg said. “This is kind of new to everyone.”
Following a 2018 opening, Lou Rubin’s Hometown Coffee & Juice has emerged as a popular destination in downtown Glencoe for people seeking a smoothie, coffee or food.
However, today, Rubin is down to curbside pickup service.
He speaks of a need to stay open, if not for himself, but for his employees.
“I think the most important is for us to stay open so I can continue to provide an income stream to our employees,” Rubin said.
The closing of restaurants and bars has also impacted the businesses supplying products to the establishments.
Kim Holstein and her husband, Scott, are co-founders of Twisted Alchemy, a cold press juice company in Wilmette. They sell their juices to bars and restaurants around the country by working with bartenders, hotels and mixologists.
Kim Holstein said they recently doubled growth estimates after an “awesome” year and were about to sell their beverages at a hotel chain. They were also exploring opportunities to feature their product at outdoor events this summer.
For now, the couple waits like everyone else.
“This is a situation beyond all of our control and when you are dealing with the health of the whole world and the health our community, we care about that tremendously,” Holstein said.
In the meantime, many owners speak of adjusting the new normal.
Rubin noted he is putting more emphasis on an app for customers.
Young said her chefs are working on new spring recipes and taking on mundane tasks such as inventory and accounting.
“When we do reopen, I feel like we will be in a better place,” she said.
For the places that remain open, owners are shifting to an emphasis on curbside pickup or additional ties to delivery services such as GrubHub and DoorDash.
Holstein said she and her husband are pondering ways on how to pivot the business and are exploring more retail opportunities through supermarkets, plus some curbside business with participating restaurants.
Then there are online opportunities such as a “quarantine happy hour” where a bartender will be on Instagram Live making cocktails from home.
“We are trying to be innovative and if everyone is home, let’s bring the bar home. We want to elevate the spirits of people at home,” Holstein said.
More Top Picks Best Eye Massagers
In addition to their own individual efforts, restaurant owners are getting some assistance from local chambers of commerce.
In Glenview, the local chamber is sending out a list of businesses that remain open with notes on whether they can do pick-up or delivery. That list is also appearing on the village’s web site, according to the chamber’s executive director Betsy Baer.
“We are trying to make sure that all of our communities have opportunities to serve both our residents and our business communities as best as possible,” Baer said.
She also said the chamber is going over the recently passed federal legislation to see how that might benefit local business owners and had an overall message for the entire community.
“Don’t get call Amazon if you can call one of our members and see if they can get something you can pick up,” Baer said.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter.