Restaurants across the state were able to open for outdoor dining on Monday. Over at I.C. Muggs, customer Jodi Dragseth said it was nice to be outside and with friends. “It feels very good to be outside,” said Dragseth. “And to join my friends for a beer.”
Dragseth also said it was nice to be able to support local businesses after things were shutdown for COVID-19. “I’ve thought about them while they’ve all been closed,” said Dragseth. “So, it’s nice to be able to be here and support them today.”
Mike Flipse also joked that even though he had to sweat to eat, it was good to let local businesses like the Irishman’s Shanty know people have been thinking about them. At Drafts, owner Jasmine Melsa said the first day of having customers seated again was going steady. “They are going good,” said Melsa. “We’re going steady, and people are excited to be back eating and drinking out in public. Lots of excited people. Lots of beers going out.”
Monday was definitely warm and while the breeze felt good, it also made for a challenge to keep umbrellas up said Melsa. “It’s definitely warm and breezy,” said Melsa. “We’ve already had to anchor some things down on the patio in the parking lot and bring some things back inside that we couldn’t keep out there. The umbrellas didn’t stay really well for the most part.”
