Will Belleville keep streets closed for restaurants dealing with coronavirus rules?
City leaders may extend the deadline to reopen three downtown streets where restaurants have been allowed to set up tables, chairs and tents during the coronavirus pandemic.
The outdoor dining licenses expire on Aug. 30 for restaurants using High, Jackson and Church streets, but Mayor Mark Eckert said he will recommend to the City Council that aldermen extend that deadline to Nov. 15. Eckert said the council is expected to vote on this plan during their meeting on Aug. 3.
With the spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the metro-east in July, Eckert said he’s concerned restaurants will need the outdoor dining because the state could once again ban indoor dining in restaurants.
Eckert said he has been reminding restaurants to make sure employees wear face masks and to enforce social distancing to prevent overcrowding by customers.
“You must monitor the guidelines, because if we don’t, we are going to go backwards and that’s not going to help anybody’s economy,” Eckert said.
Side streets closed
As leader of the Belleville Main Street organization, Alicia Chillemi Slocomb strives to help keep downtown businesses humming — even during the coronavirus pandemic.
She said she was happy to see the city partially close High, Jackson and Church streets on May 28 when restaurants were allowed to offer outdoor dining. The restaurants were then permitted to offer indoor dining on June 26 for the first time since mid-March when Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a stay-at-home order to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Slocomb said the outdoor dining area adds a level of safety for diners who want to be distanced from other customers.
“I personally want to sit outside during this time because I feel a little safer,” she said.
But Slocomb and restaurant owners also enjoy the “festive” vibe created by outdoor dining.
“As long as there are restrictions, I think that it is a fabulous idea and has really helped liven up downtown,” she said. “It brings a whole different atmosphere to downtown when you see people outside. It makes it more vibrant … It just makes a really cool atmosphere.”
Outdoor dining called crucial for restaurants
Renae Eichholz, owner of Copper Fire restaurant and bar at 200 E. Main St., said the outdoor seating allowed on South Jackson Street was crucial for her business.
Copper Fire would “not have been able to survive” without the outdoor section that opened on May 28.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support,” Eichholz said. “We’re so thankful. I’m hoping that they will let us continue outdoor seating through October, November.
“It’s just so cool to see everybody walking up and down the streets in downtown Belleville. I’ve never seen this much life in downtown Belleville and I’ve been downtown with another business 27, 28 years and I’ve never seen this much activity and I love it. It feels like you’re in California.”
Robbie Fogarty-Hayden, co-owner of The Wine Tap at 223 E. Main St., agreed with Eichholz about the effect outdoor dining has on Main Street visitors.
“It’s incredible because it just livens up the area,” she said. “It brings so much energy to the neighborhood.
Wine Tap customers have been using the Gaslight Square plaza at the corner of East Main and North Church streets.
Fogarty-Hayden said the outdoor seating makes it easier for people to “bop” from location to another.
“And it does bring in a ton of walk-in traffic. It’s been awesome,” she said. “I think it’s one of the best things the city has done for the entertainment district community.”
Fogarty-Hayden said she would “love” to see the city expand the outdoor dining through the fall.
Shopkeepers’ reaction to streets shutting down
Beth Wamble, store manager of Ben’s at 112 E. Main St., said she is “very supportive” of closing the streets when restaurateurs can only offer outdoor dining options.
A portion of South High Street by the side door of Ben’s has been closed for outdoor dining.
“Now that they can go back to inside dining, we’re hopeful that they will open the streets back up to passengers and traffic,” said Wamble, whose store offers crafts, flowers and gifts.
Ben’s was able to stay open while the stay-at-home order was in effect because it also offers postal services.
Seven Restaurant & Bar at 7 S. High St. is located across the street from Ben’s side entrance and has served customers on the closed portion of the street. The owners of Seven could not be reached for comment.
Jeremy Hall, co-owner of Down the Hall Homebrew Inc. at 122 E. Main St., said the street closures did not affect his business because his customers have been able to access his shop from the Main Street entrance. Also, during the time that customers were not allowed to enter his store, he was able to offer curbside pickup.
Editor’s note: This story was updated Thursday with Mayor Mark Eckert’s proposal to extend the street closures until Nov. 15. The City Council is expected to vote on the plan on Aug. 3.
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 7:30 AM.
