The Longmont restaurant community has been stepping up in a big way amidst the national Covid-19 pandemic. 

It goes without saying that this global crisis is affecting every industry but has been particularly challenging for service based businesses. Many restaurant owners have been forced to do their most creative and inspiring work in these trying times. They have had to make terribly hard decisions about whether or not to stay open by offering take out options, which can be costly without a high return, or to close down entirely, risking never re-opening. They’ve also been faced with the fact that they may have to let go of beloved employees or cut hours significantly, which will directly affect the financial security of many in our community. In spite of these very real challenges, our incredible community of restaurant owners and patrons have chosen to rise to the occasion and support each other as best they can.

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Last week, before the official ‘Shelter in Place’ order, Jenn stopped by several Longmont restaurants & breweries to document their efforts and grab a few items to go. It was heartwarming to see the owners of these businesses on the front lines - taking orders, connecting with their customers directly, and offering a smile in gratitude of those customers showing up to support them in their time of need. 

Despite the uncertainty they face, they were thinking creatively about how to continue serving their community and were reinventing themselves on the fly - all while following new health protocols and adding a touch of lightheartedness. In fact, instead of shuttered businesses, we witnessed welcome signs offering specific ordering instructions, contact-free curbside take out solutions, and offering new delivery options. Everywhere we looked, there was extra effort being made to protect everyone from the spread of this virus … and most importantly, we saw passionate people working hard to meet the needs of their community.

Many local restaurant owners have realized an ability to reach beyond take out; they are seeing an opportunity to order extra provisions from their distributors and are selling items wholesale directly to their customers. For example, Nicolo’s Pizza of Longmont showed up for their community by setting up a surplus market in front of their store offering grocery staples such as dried pasta, fresh pasta, even their own marinara sauce! Patrons were able to stock up on items that they may not be able to find at the store and for a very low cost. Marketside Bakery has also recognized the opportunity to reach directly to their customers by offering curbside pick up and expanding their offerings to include sandwich toppings. 

Jonny’s of Longmont, Collision, and Jefe’s have sought new ways to serve their food to their customer base- either through brand new takeout options, delivery service or robust family meal packages. 

Wibby Brewing & 300 Suns might have their stools packed away but their doors are open as they serve up customer favorites in crowlers, growlers and plenty of 6-packs to go. 

As a part of the Longmont small business community, we want to applaud the efforts we are seeing around town. These local hot spots continue to provide comfort to their loyal fans and we feel really proud of them as they pursue this uncharted territory. We hope that this encourages folks to continue to support their local business community the best they can while also helping to stop the spread of this global pandemic. We may have to social distance but at least we can enjoy take-out from our old favorites-Cheers! 

For a list of restaurants that are open for takeout, visit this great article published on Boulder Weekly. This list was compiled with the help of First Bite Boulder County Restaurant Week.  #coloradocurbside #curbside_capture

--This article was written by Jennifer Bridge & Nikki Knez, co-founders of Branded Beet. For more information on them, please visit Branded Beet!