By Lillian Donahue | May 7, 2020 at 3:04 PM EDT - Updated May 7 at 3:04 PM
NORTH CHARLESTON S.C. (WCSC) – Starting Thursday, restaurants in Park Circle have the option to expand their outside dining areas into the parking spaces out front to accommodate more guests.
Some businesses plan to expand this weekend, while others remain hesitant to set up beyond the curb.
Travis Glen, Owner of Southern Roots, said his restaurant is currently only able to serve one-third of the usual number of tables. He hopes to take advantage of the extra space over the weekend.
“Anything that we can keep growing on to someone and get back to normal numbers we’ll take,” Glen said. “We’re ready to work, we’re ready to be here for the community and, like I said, we’re ready to just kind of get back to normal within reason.”
Meanwhile, Daniel Slotuik, manager at Yo Bo Cantina Fresca, said he’s open to the idea but is hesitant to take seating beyond the curb.
“We’re going to see how that plays out and what functionality is with other places before we try to jump on that bandwagon,” Slotuik said. “There’s no playbook, there’s no magic answer to how all of this is going to work or will work going forward.”
Slotuik said the restaurant has less than half its tablespace outside.
North Charleston city official, Ryan Johnson, said the restaurants in the area can now set up open-air tents, tables and chairs in the parking spaces, as long as they follow the governor’s orders of an 8-foot minimum between tables and sanitization in-between customers.
“Anything that the city can do to try to help small businesses and restaurants and anyone try to get back to a semblance of normal after all of this is great,” Slotuik said.
“There’s tons of parking around Park Circle so, I think a few spots that are in front of us shouldn’t hurt anything with business,” Glen said.
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