GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Rise Authentic Baking Company wasn't open for indoor dining very long before going back to take-out only.
"We were open a full two days for dine-in," says Maddy Cook, a baker for Rise.
The bakery will now pause its indoor dining for two weeks after Governor Whitmer made the suggestion to restaurants across the state. Rise hopes that a pause like this will slow the spread of COVID so they can see their customers faces once again.
"It wasn't an easy decision, it was talked about for so long," say Cook. "But ultimately we thought it was the safest way to go."
And Rise isn't the only place in town to make that choice. Slows BBQ will join them.
"To make sure our staff stays safe and we're not contributing to the problem," says co-founder Brian Perrone.
Slows will continue outdoor dining as well as take-out and delivery during its pause. Perrone says they were seeing great turnout with 50% capacity.
"People were coming out and that's what we're all about," he says.
But he hopes the next two weeks will bring customers back indoors quicker.
"The sooner we can do it and get past this surge, the better," says Perrone.
Rise, which also offers some outdoor dining options, feels the same way.
"We just feel like its a little bit more personal," says baker Molly Broekhuis. "Even if customers are getting take-out, that way we can still see their faces."
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.