4/13 Poll: When should we start relaxing the "shelter in place"

[Brian Swartz]

A partial solution I think is just limiting capacity in restaurants. I.e. where I used to work they were already doing that, only seating every other booth/table, the weekend before the shutdown. So a sort of half-open, mandatory-spacing thing might work as a starter.

ETA: Frankly in most places, I doubt they are going to be busy enough to fill up anyway. There will be a lot of hesitancy from the public compared to 'normal'. That was already hurting business again before the lockdown.

[Edward64]

I'm more for the early June.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by tarcone

Im hoping there is some sort of vaccine or better treatment plan by the beginning of May. So I put Spring.

Vaccines take 12-18 months to develop and test, thats not happening this year.

[Lathum]

I see the “limit capacity” argument a lot. Problem with that is a lot of bars, restaurants, casinos, etc. operate at a pretty slim profit margin. If they aren’t making enough money to keep the lights on they will have to close down anyway.

[Brian Swartz]

Some of them will, but certainly it's useful as a partial early step. Eventually you have to go further but it's better to have some of them closed than all of them.

[RendeR]

But thats just it, they won't all close, in time, most will re-open and when they do they'll do a booming business as people swarm to get out again.

The continual fear mongering that most or all small businesses affected by this are going to shut down forever is just that, fear mongering.

people in other threads say they want to be given hope, but they refuse to start with themselves. stop crying "the end is nigh" and have some faith that this too shall pass.

[Brian Swartz]

Why can't we just be realistic and understand that it's some of both? I wasn't saying here that all businesses will stay closed forever, that's not what the conversation was about. At the same time, we've already lost a number of businesses permanently. They'll be replaced by others of course at some point, but it's not like there isn't a considerable cost involved there.

I have hope and confidence that we will get through this. I'm also not going to pretend that there aren't going to be major long-term consequences. I don't see it as either/or.

[thesloppy]

Close to this subject; on my block there is a vegan farm-to-table restaurant that had 10-course prix-fixe meals for about $100, and I've read a couple articles with the owner chef that have been kind of funny & refreshing as he kind of reconsiders the absurdity of his business in real time.

https://www.wired.com/story/restaura...rtland-oregon/

“If we were trying to stay the same, I think we would be insane,” Adams says. “I’m looking forward to that change because, frankly, I'm never sitting around craving a 10-course meal. You know, like I'm never going, ‘Damn, honey, let's go and get 10 courses tonight.’ I want to have something that makes me feel good.”

“After this, seeing how precarious the situation is with the capitalist environment that we're dealing with, how can I continue to have a restaurant that emphasizes feeding only people of means?” Adams says. “If I were to do so, I would be someone without a conscience.”

....

In Portland at least we've been pushing critical mass of restaurants and bars for seemingly the last decade, and while I certainly don't cheer on anybody losing their businesses/jobs/dreams, I do think a bit of a forced reset to the industry & its values might have some benefits.

[albionmoonlight]

South Carolina is re-opening public beaches.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

South Carolina is re-opening public beaches.

honestly, the 60 day closure of the beaches were kind of bs. Especially, when private access wasn't shut off at all.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by RendeR

But thats just it, they won't all close, in time, most will re-open and when they do they'll do a booming business as people swarm to get out again.

The continual fear mongering that most or all small businesses affected by this are going to shut down forever is just that, fear mongering.

people in other threads say they want to be given hope, but they refuse to start with themselves. stop crying "the end is nigh" and have some faith that this too shall pass.

I can only speak for local businesses but I am seeing very different ways restaurants are adapting (or not) in our small town. We have a family owned pizza place that opened up just before coronovirus hit. This is a location that has had rotating restaurants trouble doing well. They've been selling out every day but they have been active on social media, advertising specials, contests, getting peope to donate pizzas for others etc...

Some other ones were quick to offer delivery or at least curbside pickup. The mayor and guy fieri who lives in town set up a special Facebook show where they focus on one restaurant in town each episode started.. Not coincidentally the restaurants being featured were ones quicker to adapt.my wife and I have actually spent more money on food since this happened so I definitely still think restaurants can do well if they adapt.

Now other types of businesses are in more trouble I think. Nothing much a salon can do other than stay active trying to get people to buy gift cards, products, or some sort of yearly membership for when this is lifted.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by albionmoonlight

South Carolina is re-opening public beaches.

and some retail businesses, Sounds like a lot of Southern states are following suit too.

[JPhillips]

All of the re-opening talk is so depressing. If re-opening decisions aren't being made based on some sort of medical/statistical metrics, it really was all for nothing. It only made sense if the plan was to reduce infection rates to some determined level and then move to a different strategy once the spread was contained. If we're just going to open based on feelings or, as Trump said, his brain, we will have ruined the economy just to delay the spike in cases by a month or two.

I suppose this might be better for the mental health thread.

[QuikSand]

I love the parachute analogy... "well, this parachute seems to have worked, our initial drop rate was dangerously fast down, but it has really slowed down once we pulled the chute... so now we're down to 1,000 feet I think it's time to cut it loose and just go from here." Aces.