MiBiz readers showed a strong interest in our COVID-19 coverage this year, as well as news about free tuition, business layoffs, bankruptcies, restaurants, beer and marijuana.

Readership of MiBiz.com also grew even as we transitioned to a new paywall model for online stories. Its been a year like no other for all of us and we are grateful for your continued support and interest. (You can subscribe to MiBiz at this link.)

In early 2020 before the pandemic hit, Grand Rapids Community College announced that students who attend high school in Grand Rapids could receive tuition at GRCC, starting with the class of 2020. The plan was approved by the Grand Rapids Promise Zone Authority board. News of the approval was MiBizs top-read story of 2020.

According to web traffic data, six of MiBizs top 10 read stories in 2020 involved the pandemic, including the top-read COVID-19 story from March 23 about construction companies first assessing what a statewide stay-home order meant for them. That first week of the pandemic had top-read stories about Gov. Gretchen Whitmers first stay-home order, which was opposed by leading business groups but followed similar actions in Illinois and Ohio. Despite not knowing the extent of COVID-19 in mid March which would lead to nearly 500,000 cases and more than 12,000 deaths in nine months restaurants and bars at the time were concerned about a statewide stay-home order, which one brewery said would be a bloodbath for the industry. More top-read COVID-19 stories included the effects that the pandemic had on furniture manufacturers Herman Miller Inc. and Steelcase Inc.

A recent year-end Q&A in the MiBiz Crystal Ball issue featured born-and-raised Muskegon resident Greg Maki, who discussed his local roots and early entry into the cannabis market. Maki, the owner of Agri-Med LLC, also discussed why he thinks some West Michigan cities will soon be oversaturated with dispensaries.

The past year produced several stories of area companies that had been struggling financially heading into the pandemic and then pushed over the edge. That included Pace Industries LLC, which manufactures die-cast parts and was previously acquired by the former Port City Group operations in Muskegon, filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April. Less than two months later, HopCat parent company BarFly Ventures LLC filed for Chapter 11, spurred by ongoing statewide restaurant and bar closures, which affected owner Mark Sellers, who filed for Chapter 11 personally, and later his Maxs South Seas Hideaway bar in Grand Rapids. Other notable bankruptcies in 2020 included Goodrich Quality Theaters Inc. and Grand Rapids-based alternative lifestyle company Purple East Plus Inc.

MiBiz readers were apparently eager to learn about the Grand Rapids areas first drag-themed burger bar, Hamburger Marys in Cascade Township. MiBiz broke the news in early October about the national chains first Michigan location.

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MiBiz.com's top-read stories of 2020 - MiBiz: West Michigan Business News

A hometown bar. A living room. A non-French French restaurant. A place for long conversations. These are just some of the words that Mona Poor-Olschafskie and Christian Perkins use to talk about Fin Du Monde, their just-opened restaurant and bar at 38 Driggs Avenue, at Sutton Street, in Greenpoint. The duos vision for the restaurant is multifaceted, but their first priority is to create a place where residents in the neighborhood feel welcome.

We wanted to open a place that we would want to go to ourselves, says Poor-Olschafskie, a hospitality industry veteran who lives a few blocks from Fin Du Monde. A place that was accessible, not a place with a huge super-expensive wine list or lots of ingredients nobody knows how to pronounce.

To note, neither Poor-Olschafskie nor Perkins have much experience working in those types of restaurants, despite each having been in the hospitality industry for more than a decade. Before opening Fin Du Monde, Poor-Olschafskie worked at several of the citys leading breweries, including Threes Brewing in Gowanus and two spots in Carroll Gardens, Other Half Brewing and Folksbier Brauerei. Beers from her old haunts have made their way to the menu at Fin Du Monde, which in addition to a few bottles of wine serves a lager from Folksbier and an IPA from Threes on tap.

The restaurants food menu is loosely French-American but strictly local, a pairing that Perkins picked up while working for restaurateur Andrew Tarlow at hit restaurants such as Diner, Marlow and Sons, and its offshoot butcher shop Marlow and Daughters. Most recently, he helped open Annicka, a brief but well-received Greenpoint restaurant that focused on seasonal food and local craft beer. Theres a similar ethos behind Fin Du Monde, according to Perkins, which aims to serve locally sourced produce and meat without charging more than $30 for an entree, which isnt uncommon at many upscale restaurants in the city.

Its a tightrope walk, but its possible, Perkins says. You have to create a very, very tight menu that isnt reliant upon luxury ingredients.

All told, the food menu at Fin Du Monde is 10 items long, desserts included, and Perkins keeps things simple. The restaurant serves a big French salad topped with fried walnuts and funky Roquefort cheese ($13). Further down the menu, theres a roast chicken and pepper risotto ($22), along with a braised boeuf bourguignon that comes with buttery noodles ($24). These dishes are meant to invoke a French bistro or a Parisian natural wine bar but only sort of.

Its a non-French French place, Perkins says. It has a French name, but we like the goofiness of it.

Like countless other restaurant owners, Poor-Olschafskie and Perkins had been planning Fin Du Monde long before the start of the pandemic in March. In July 2019, the duo launched a GoFundMe campaign to help open the restaurant and assist with construction costs. More than a year and nearly $20,000 in donations later, Perkins likened Fin Du Monde to a train rolling down the tracks that couldnt be stopped. We had no choice but to keep going, and we wouldnt have wanted to stop anyway, he says.

As for the name translated as end of the world in French Perkins says the restaurant is the kind of place you want to be at the end of the world, which he quickly adds is, thankfully, not right now.

Fin Du Monde has roughly 20 seats for outdoor dining and six seats inside at the state-mandated 25 percent capacity. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m. and closed Sunday through Monday.

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Greenpoints Newest Restaurant, Fin Du Monde, Brings a Touch of France With Craft Beer - Eater NY

Mina Corpuz|The Enterprise

BROCKTON Rudy Alves is tapping into his artistic background and sharing Cape Verdean culture at his new restaurant Khalil's Kitchen.

"When you come here you're going to get a good meal and enjoy the vibes," he said about the eatery, which opened about a month ago at 808 Main St.

The restaurant serves up soul food with a Caribbean twist, Alves said.The menu includes burgers, fries topped with protein, wings, smoothies and more. Some of the dishes featurelobster, like the mac and cheese.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he closed his T-shirt business andbegan cooking at home to make money for his family. That turned into a business.

While cooking at home, Alves has been able to see his three children more. They were able to be around, which was not possible in his other jobs, like T-shirt printing and tattooing.

His middle child, Khalil, is the restaurant's namesake. At home, Khalil would come around the kitchen and Alves said he had the idea to call the kitchen his.

Since the business opened, his 5-year-old daughterChloe, 2-year-old Khalil and 9-month old son London have visited the restaurant.

Alves said he never imagined that he would open a restaurant. But everything happened so fast, starting out as a vision that he was able to manifest.

"I wake up ready to come here," he said. "I doesn't feel like a job."

Alves found the Main Street space for his restaurant in the summer and worked on it, drawing on his construction background and designing the inside.

The pandemic has been a challenging time for businesses and restaurants. But Alves said that being able to open during this time was motivational.

"If I can do all of this during this time, I can grow and more," he said.

Alves learned to cook from his mother, who wished she had a daughter. She would ask him to cook rice after school so that it would be ready when she came home from work.

Little by little, he would ask her more about cooking. She taught him Cape Verdean dishes that Alves has been able to put his own spin on and blend with other food styles.

He said she she is proud to see him open the business and do something he loves.

Now that Alves has a commercial kitchen, he said there are endless possibilities for what he can cook. He likes to create his own sauces and find his own flavors.

"I'm always trying to create things and experiment," Alves said.

Looking ahead, hewants to share his newfound love for the kitchen. Alves shares pictures on his Instagram @khalils_kitchen_ and plans to release videos that provide a behind the scenes look at the restaurant.

Opening up a restaurant in Boston is a future goal, he said.

Staff writer Mina Corpuz can be reached by email at mcorpuz@enterprisenews.com. You can follow her on Twitter @mlcorpuz.Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.

Excerpt from:
Here's what's on the menu at new Brockton Caribbean soul food restaurant - Enterprise News

Name of business: Salt & Pepper Taqueria

Type of business: Mexican restaurant

Location: 2901 N. Tegner Rd. in Turlock

Hours: 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday

Contact information: 209-427-2946

Specialty: Quesa-Birria

History of business:

When Salt & Pepper Taqueria owner Judyth Avila signed the lease for her catering companys first brick-and-mortar location in Turlock last fall, she had no idea she would be opening a restaurant in the middle of a global pandemic.

Still, despite countless hurdles along the way, the restaurant was finally able to open its doors on November 11 and has been a hit with the community in the weeks since.

I know its one more Mexican restaurant here, but I think were a little different, Avila said.

The food at Salt & Pepper, like the restaurants name, is simple, with no additives and natural ingredients. Since the restaurant opened last month, social media and Facebook pages like Turlock To Go have been flooded with mouthwatering photos of the Salt & Pepper menu, which includes tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tortas and salads made with a variety of freshly-cooked meats.

The Quesa-Birria is a crowd favorite, offering the melted, gooey flavor of a quesadilla along with the savory meat stew known as birria. Other menu items can be ordered with birria as well, and Salt & Pepper also offers keto tacos with a cheesy shell for those who are counting their carbs.

Before the pandemic began, Avila was working on opening the new Turlock location and also opened a second restaurant in Patterson in February. They were meant to be an extension of the catering company she has operated for the last eight years, but now supplement the income she has lost as events are cancelled due to COVID-19.

After signing the lease for the Turlock location in November 2019, there was more construction to be done on the kitchen which continued during the pandemic. Avila said she may have cancelled the project had it not been for the building owner granting her free rent during the brunt of the first shutdown.

Now that Salt & Pepper is open in Turlock, the restaurant was able to offer a few weeks of in-person dining before the latest stay-at-home order forced them to offer takeout, curbside pickup and delivery only.

Despite the setbacks, Avila encourages others hoping to open their own restaurant to do so even though it may seem scary during these ever-changing times.

Just work every day and do your best, even if you dont know whats going to happen, Avila said. Its different times now, but Im really enjoying doing this. I don't see it as a job or money, because of course I need money, but I love the people and the people seem to like what I do.

Visit link:
New Turlock restaurant thriving in face of pandemic - The Turlock Journal

ST. PETERSBURG Marlin Kaplan can picture it now.

Were standing in the middle of the first garden room, he says, gesturing to a large patch of grass.

Right here, on an empty plot of dirt, will be the main dining room a covered area tucked beneath a pergola-like structure, surrounded by lush plants and landscaping.

Over there, a smaller space abutting a parking lot, will be a circular patio, flanked by a towering live oak tree and decorated with bright lights the kind that imbue a holiday-any-time-of-year feel.

In the middle of it all will be a large fountain and a walkway. And all the way in the back, a secluded dining area shrouded by curtains will offer an intimate setting for private gatherings.

Sure, there are some things happening inside, too. But thats not the point. Kaplan is determined to open what he believes will be the restaurant of the future, where outdoor seating rather than indoor dining will be the highlight.

But right now its just a patch of grass.

Two Graces, which will open early next year, is poised to be one of 2021s most interesting and ambitious restaurant debuts. The space, next to Freefall Theatre in St. Petersburg, takes over the former Reading Room building at 6001 Central Ave., which closed in 2019.

Kevin Lane, Lauren Macellaro, Jessika Palombo and Kevin Damphouse together ran the restaurant, which opened in early 2017 and attracted widespread acclaim. It earned Macellaro, the executive chef, a semifinalist nod for the James Beard Foundations Best Chef: South award. The Reading Rooms closure was a loss for both the neighborhood and the Tampa Bay areas culinary community.

Earlier this year, Lane (a co-founder of Freefall Theatre) approached Kaplan, who together with partner Lisa Masterson runs the fine dining restaurant Grace in Pass-a-Grille as well as the gourmet goods-to-go shop Gracie Pasta & Provisions. Kaplan had dined at the Reading Room, and saw potential for a new restaurant in the space. But it was the yawning lot of grass a roughly 1,500-square-foot space abutting the theaters main building and parking lot that really piqued his interest.

Since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Kaplan says hes noticed a big uptick in diners interested in eating outside, likely in response to reports from health experts, who have repeatedly stressed the inherent risks of indoor dining.

Tampa Bays approach to outdoor dining during the pandemic hasnt mirrored that of other cities. While other places have embraced the parklet boom erecting standalone dining partitions outside of restaurants and in parking spaces restaurants here have been more hesitant to the trend. At Grace, Kaplan has been able to take over a few parking spots and expand the outdoor space, but says its nowhere near the kind of business he can do inside. And while other parts of the country have banned indoor dining again amid a national spike in coronavirus cases, that hasnt happened in Florida at least not yet.

Still, Kaplan isnt holding his breath. Even though Gov. Ron DeSantis has repeatedly said otherwise, he doesnt trust that another restaurant shutdown isnt looming. After all, who knows what next year and a new presidential administration will bring?

I really feel like this is the future of dining with COVID, Kaplan said. The restaurant of the future is outdoors.

Since the Reading Rooms shutter, the Central Avenue space has remained vacant. In recent months, Kaplan employed local gardener Maggie Jensen to tend to the property and now the lush garden, once the highlight of Reading Rooms dining program, is once again thriving.

But the main attraction at Two Graces will be the entirely al fresco dining experience that can seat 100 people. The so-called garden rooms are essentially patio spaces divided with landscaping. The main covered space will seat roughly 48 people, and several smaller uncovered patio areas will dot the rest of the property.

Outdoor dining is less attractive during Tampa Bays sweltering summer months, but Kaplan says there are contingency plans for Floridas often unpredictable weather patterns: misters for the hot, balmy days and heat lamps for the odd evening where the temperature dips below 60 degrees.

Inside the restaurant, the space will seat an additional 50 people. Leather banquettes line the dining area, which faces a long bar with room for an additional 12 seats. Chairs are upholstered in bright-colored velvet and a colorful mural from New York illustrator Alli Arnold decorates a wall near the kitchen where a petite chefs counter provides a few extra spots for those looking to get a glimpse of the action.

Though specials will incorporate some of what the outdoor garden has to offer, unlike the restaurants predecessor, that wont be a focal point at Two Graces. Instead, Kaplan said, the menu will feature a New American spread that will be familiar to longtime regulars at his Pass-a-Grille restaurant. Starters include a crispy Brussels sprouts dish with citrus aioli ($16), a baked burrata served with pomegranate seeds and baguette ($22), and mussels with white wine and grilled ciabatta ($15).

The restaurant inherited a large wood-burning oven, from which the likes of wood-fired pizzas will emerge. Some of the larger entrees include dishes like a roasted baby pumpkin filled with pumpkin risotto and topped with a Parmesan tuile ($26); a filet mignon with an herbed breadcrumb crust, artichoke, bacon and potato torte and demi-glace (market price); and pan-roasted sea scallops served with a crispy polenta cake, micro greens salad and a roasted beet sauce ($32).

Handmade pastas from Gracie Pasta & Provisions will be featured, including the Gracie Tagliatelle ($28) with short rib ragu and shaved truffles, and a linguine dish ($22) featuring a mushroom medley, goat cheese and herb butter. For dessert, there will be a blueberry lemon and lavender panna cotta ($8); honey almond cheesecake with amarena cherries ($8); and a triple chocolate brownie with salted caramel ice cream ($8).

Masterson is curating a wine list heavy on organic and biodynamic wines, and the cocktail menu will look to local flora and fauna for inspiration, with drinks named after local flowers.

Though a decent amount of construction and landscaping for the outdoor space remains to be done, Kaplan hopes to be open sometime in early January. He wont open without the outdoor space finished, he says.

After all, its kind of the whole point.

Link:
Could St. Petersburgs Two Graces be the restaurant of the future? - Tampa Bay Times

December 7, 2020 Restaurant/Bar News

Back in September, in the previous millennium, the folks behind Mitchel London Foods had secured their liquor license for a new restaurant in the Baked space at 279 Church, and had started construction on a full service restaurant.

They were cooking along when a fire started in the fourth-floor apartment on Feb. 15, doing minimal damage there but dousing the restaurant space and also damaging Lyons Den yoga studio (which is still operating online till studios can open, FYI). That set the schedule back, and then ran them right into covid.

Enter the pivot. What would have been (and will be eventually) a breakfast-till-late night establishment will now be an elevated grab-and-go, something closer to what the company a catering operation founded by Ed Kochs former chef at Gracie Mansion does already with their Dinner at Home program. They are also kind of famous for their crullers.

The new place is as of now unnamed, but should be open in about three weeks. The likely hours will be 8 to 8, and they are counting on locals to keep things going over the next months, fully aware that things are pretty quiet downtown. Once the world starts spinning again, they will revert to the original plan.

Pivoting is still a little bit dangerous without people going in to work in the morning, said Thomas Mikolasko, who will run the restaurant. But I liked this location to begin with and over the past five months, I really fell in love with it. I hope there are enough folks around to make it a go we dont need thousands, but we will need more than 20 people coming in each day.

More TK when they are up and running.

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Coming Soon: Dinners to go in the old Baked space - Tribeca Citizen

CLEVELAND, Dec. 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Historic preservation real estate firm GBX Group LLC, in partnership with Ethos Capital Partners, LLC, project partners, and city officials, today announced the reimagined 2125 Superior Avenue, now known as 2125 Superior Living. This modernized residential and retail property, in the heart of Downtown Cleveland's burgeoning Superior Arts District, is GBX's latest investment in the adaptive reuse of historically significant buildings across the country.

GBX has long envisioned a revitalized Superior corridor having acquired over 20 parcels in the past several years.

Erected in 1914 and originally home to The Prince-Wolf Co. garment factory, the newly rehabilitated 2125 Superior Avenue now consists of a 57-unit, 40,000 square foot mixed-use residential and hospitality site. The design preserves the building's historic significance while featuring a blend of modern amenities. It includes an interior open-air courtyard and dog park for tenants. Street-level will be the home to Green Goat, a bar and caf by local restauranteur Bobby George that will be a gathering place forneighborhood residents, nearby workers, and visitors to the district. The new apartments will begin welcoming residents in early December with the Green Goat slated to open early in 2021.

For Bobby George, Cleveland area restauranteur and lead developer and majority owner of this project, investment in the Superior Arts District is personal.

"I live directly across the street and am putting my money where my mouth is on the belief that the Superior corridor is well on its way to becoming a highly desired destination for businesses, visitors, and residents," said George. "In addition to chic urban living, our project at 2125 Superior Avenue is going to be a foodie's delight with an amazing menu of nutritious and delicious local fare at Green Goat."

Project Continues GBX Group's Investment in Superior Arts District

Cleveland-based GBX has deployed federal, state, and local tax incentives to preserve, redevelop, and manage historic real estate projects in 20 states across the country. It often takes a mixture of historic preservation easements, historic tax credits, and other government programs to make it financially viable to preserve these iconic buildings in the face of less costly new construction.

"Across America, urban neighborhoods like the Superior Arts District that house historic buildings are experiencing a Renaissance. Largely abandoned at the onset of suburbanization a generation ago, these old economic hubs are once again in high demand as young professionals flock downtown for jobs, short commutes, and social allure," said Drew Sparacia, CEO of GBX. "By utilizing federal, state, and local historic preservation programs to save and rehabilitate historic buildings, we can drive needed and significant investment into the urban core while maintaining the fabric of these neighborhoods in lieu of destroying and building new. These projects are a catalyst for economic growth through construction jobs and increased permanent payrolls, and they generate millions in new tax revenues at the local, state, and federal levels."

A case in point is a recent economic impact study conducted on the Empire Improvement Building, GBX's headquarters, located at 2101 Superior Avenue, adjacent to the adaptive reuse project at 2125 Superior Avenue. The study by Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy found that the preservation of the building, both during construction as well as its operations in 2019, returned a combined $7.3 million in added tax revenues. Just as important, the investments made through federal and state tax incentives will be returned to government agencies in just over five years.

Antonin Robert, GBX's President of Community Development and chairman of the Superior Arts Improvement District commented; "We are excited about this project as the latest positive development in the rebirth of the historic Superior Arts District. GBX has long envisioned a revitalized Superior corridor having acquired over 20 parcels in the past several years. The combination of an established Asian community, the proximity of Cleveland State, Playhouse Square, and the ease of accessibility from the innerbelt, makes this area attractive for historic preservation that also attracts new development."

The opening of 2125 Superior Avenue is not the end but just the latest development for the neighborhood. It follows Cleveland City Council's recent support for financial incentives that would propel Brecksville-based CrossCountry Mortgage to create a new headquarters for more than 700 workers by redeveloping a six-acre block between East 21st and East 22nd.

The historic preservation consultant was Peter Ketter. Construction is being completed by PCS & Build, LLC. Construction financing was facilitated by TriState Capital Bank.

For a before and after video visit: https://www.gbxgroup.com/adaptive-reuse-of-historic-garment-factory-adds-modern-residential-units-and-new-restaurant-to-cleveland-s-superior-arts-district/

About GBX Group LLCGBX Group specializes in preserving and operating historic real estate in urban markets. GBX partners with property owners, developers, and local preservation organizations to acquire, redevelop, and preserve historic real estate, generating community revitalization and economic growth. Since its founding in 2001, GBX has completed over 125 projects in 20 states. For more about GBX, visit gbxgroup.com/.

About the Superior Arts DistrictLocated on Superior Avenue between East 19th and East 25th streets, the Superior Arts District was once home to the second-largest garment district outside of New York City. Cleveland's garment district originated in the Flats and Warehouse areas of Cleveland in the mid-1800s, but manufacturing shifted to the Superior Avenue corridor at the turn of the 20th century as demand and improved working conditions prompted the need for larger, safer, and more modern buildings.

The historic buildings lining Superior Avenue have found new life as part of adaptive reuse projects. For residential needs, the structures are a perfect fit for the modern loft-style apartments and live-work spaces. For commercial use, the buildings are ideal for artist studios, warehouses and smaller distribution centers that are gaining in popularity as retailers look to cut the distance to get products to their customers.

CONTACT: Philip Winton, VP of Strategic Messaging, (216) 912-9705, pwinton@gbxgroup.com

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Adaptive Reuse of Historic Garment Factory Adds Modern Residential Units and New Restaurant to Cleveland's Superior Arts District - News-Herald.com

Outdoor seating areas on Shattuck Ave just north of University Avenue in downtown Berkeley. Starting on Dec. 7 through at least Jan. 4, all outdoor dining will be banned. Photo: Pete Rosos

The city of Berkeley and five Bay Area counties announced a new shelter-in-place order on Friday that would impose new restrictions on businesses and restaurants, including shutting down outdoor dining through at least Jan. 4. Local health officials made the decision to not wait until available ICU beds dropped below 15% in the region. The order will take effect at 12:01 a.m., Monday, Dec. 7.

Diners, restaurant employees, and owners weighed in during the last days of outdoor dining in Berkeley about the impact of the order on their lives.

On Thursday, a crew of construction workers gathered during their lunch break at the wooden tables and benches outside Taco and Co. in Southside Berkeleys Durant Square, a narrow courtyard shared by seven other restaurants.

This is where weve been coming every day, said Jonathan Manzano, a worker with B12 Drywall who has been working on a student housing project in the neighborhood for weeks.

Where are we supposed to eat? Manzano asked. The companys employees are staying at a hotel while they work on the project, so they dont have the opportunity to make their own meals. Nearby Durant Square has been a convenient lunch spot for months.

The December outdoor dining ban is just the latest in a long list of alternating directives that restaurants have received since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Outdoor dining shut down in March, re-opened in June and shut down again in July before it was reinstateda few days later. Indoor dining got the green light in Octoberbut was shut down again in November due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. One more shutdown? Restaurant employees said they could handle whatever restrictions the city throws at them.

Its the same as always. If its going to happen, its going to happen. What can I do about it? said Robert Lopez while flipping burgers at Bongo Burger on Center Street in downtown Berkeley. Lopezs hours have been cut he now only works three or four days a week and its been hard for him to support his family. Were short on money all the time. We can handle a few days, even a few months, but after four more months, thats going to be it, Lopez said between calling out orders.

Its beyond that. Weve already been affected enough. Its not going to be worse than its been, said Eric Kaedi, an employee at Daryoush, a Persian restaurant, also on Center Street. On Thursday, the tables inside Daryoush were all set with silverware, napkins and glasses, but the restaurant was empty.

People are still scared. 95% of our orders are to-go, Kaedi said. Whether there is indoor or outdoor dining doesnt matter as much because we still have our to-go orders.

Still, outdoor dining can help draw people in. Tucked away in a courtyard off of Euclid Avenue in Northside, La Vals Pizza and La Burrita usually serve students at UC Berkeley during a typical year. Their shared patio has been a boon during this difficult time.

As long as the students arent here, business is going to be slow, said Juan Guevera, who has worked at La Burrita for two years. But when outdoor seating opened up, we saw some families coming with their kids from the neighborhood getting pizzas. Its not enough, but its helped us to survive this period and pay our staff, said Izat Eliyan, who owns La Vals.

Halting outdoor dining takes away an important draw for restaurants struggling to scrape by with only a fraction of Cal students living on campus this year. The latest order raises ongoing questions for business owners and diners about the trade-offs between the economic pains of closing businesses and the risk of spreading COVID-19.

I understand that stopping outdoor dining would reduce the spread of COVID-19. At the same time, a lot of the staff work paycheck to paycheck and they need money to support their families and to pay rent, said Eliyan, who has had to cut half of his employees since the start of the pandemic, including some student employees who left voluntarily.

Outside in the courtyard on Saturday, diners wearing coats and scarves debated the trade-offs of the latest order. Im worried about the economic impact of closing outdoor dining, said Tate Swindell, holding a slice of pizza from La Vals.

You cant do anything about the economic impact. Follow the science, man, replied Robert Kaufman, seated diagonally across from Swindell. When people start throwing themselves off of buildings and theres anarchy in the streets because of economic impact, then well start talking about reopening businesses.

Then theres the question of whether the outdoor dining ban will change peoples behavior at all. People are still going to get food to-go and sit outside somewhere else, Swindell said.

On Thursday afternoon, a pair of friends ate lunch from Bongo Burger seated in the back of a pick-up truck parked on Center Street. There may not be a table you can sit at, but you can still get food and sit on the curb or sit on a pick-up truck for that matter, said Brandon Imbes-Auf-Ingabritzen.

For now, people in the restaurant business are making it work, stay-at-home order or not. Gueveras hours at La Burrita have been cut by a fourth since March, but he is earning enough to get by in the meantime, grateful that his boss prioritized fellow employees who had families. He knows that wont last forever, though. If it does pass that year mark in March, money is going to start running out. Ill probably try to find another job, Guevera said.

Eliyans playing the long game, too. He is hoping for government aid to push his business through to the summer. Honestly, we are accumulating debt right now with rent that is not fully paid. Were hoping there will be some kind of a stimulus package that can help us pay our rent and pay our staff, Eliyan said. I dont think anything will change until the summer. That is our goal to survive until summer of 2021.

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Berkeley diners and restaurants weigh in on the latest outdoor dining ban - Berkeleyside

Its never too early to look ahead at whats on tap for next year and 2021 is already shaping up as a good year for roller coaster enthusiasts, thrill ride junkies and theme park fans.

Consider our top 21 for 2021 to be an evolving and ever-changing list of the best new rides and attractions coming to theme parks in the United States in the coming year.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced many U.S. theme parks to postpone 2020 rides and attractions until 2021. Nearly half the entries on this list are holdovers that were supposed to debut this year. Nevertheless, they will still be new rides by the time we get to ride them in 2021.

Early announcements suggest 2021 will once again be a good year for theme park enthusiasts. Many parks have already begun construction on 2021 projects while some holdovers from a spoiled 2020 are already done. Other parks have only announced plans or launched teaser campaigns.

Well update our top 21 list as new rides and attractions are unveiled and more details become available.

The highly-anticipated super hero land is currently under construction at Disney California Adventure next to the existing Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout drop tower ride, which would be thematically tied to the other Marvel attractions.

Disney cant call it Marvel land, for complicated legal reasons, but everybody else will. The official name: Avengers Campus.

Officially the new land will include a Spider-Man attraction, Dr. Strange mystic arts encounter, Ant-Man and Wasp restaurant and Marvel character meet-and-greets.

The Spider-Man attraction will be a web-slinging dark ride. The Dr. Strange encounter is expected to be a special effects stage show. Youll be able to get a beer and a bite in the Ant-Man restaurant.

Disneyland had just announced a July 18,2020 opening date for Avengers Campus when the park closed because of the pandemic.

Work is finished on the new Secret Life of Pets dark ride at Universal Studios Hollywood on the former site of the Globe Theater.

The new ride has been squeezed into the London-themed Baker Street area between the Walking Dead walk-through attraction and the Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem simulator ride.

The original 2016 Secret Life of Pets film and the 2019 sequel examine the lives pets lead when their owners are away from home.

Universals Pets ride was days from opening when the pandemic struck.

Busch Gardens Tampas Gwazi dual wooden coaster will be reborn as the worlds steepest, tallest and fastest hybrid coaster. The new ride will be rechristened Iron Gwazi.

Idaho-based Rocky Mountain Construction handled the renovation of Gwazi, which has been standing-but-not-operating since 2015. The Utah-based ride maker has been responsible for a number of recent conversions of existing wooden coasters into wood-steel hybrid beasts that have thrilled ride enthusiasts.

Iron Gwazi was among several Busch Gardens and SeaWorld rides planned for 2020 that were put on hold until 2021 by parent-company SeaWorld Entertainment.

The title of most highly anticipated truly new coaster of 2021 belongs to the VelociCoaster at Universals Islands of Adventure in Florida.

The new Jurassic World coaster by Switzerland-based ride maker Intamin is themed to the prehistoric Velociraptor predators from the film franchise.

The dual-launch coaster takes riders over a 155-foot-tall top hat element, into a zero G stall over a lagoon and through a jungle and raptor paddocks along 4,700 feet of track. Riders reach a top speed of 70 mph and experience 12 seconds of off-your-seat airtime.

The Jersey Devil single-rail coaster coming to Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey will be the worlds tallest, fastest and longest ride of its kind.

The 130-foot-tall coaster will reach a top speed of 58 mph over a 3,000-foot-long track through the woods. The coaster trains will travel through a raven dive,180-degree stall and zero-gravity roll.

Passengers will sit in an inline-style train with their legs straddling a monorail I-beam track.

Rocky Mountain Construction has built similar Raptor single-rail coasters at Six Flags Fiesta Texas (Wonder Woman Golden Lasso) and Californias Great America (Railblazer).

Six Flags pressed pause on several 2020 rides, deciding to wait until 2021 when crowds return.

Silverwood in Athol, Idaho, will be getting its own version of a Rocky Mountain Construction single-rail coaster that is not quite as tall, fast or long as the world record-setting Jersey Devil coming to Six Flags Great Adventure.

Silverwoods Stunt Pilot biplane-themed coaster will recall the air shows that were hosted by the Idaho theme park in the 1980s and 90s.

The 113-foot-tall coaster will reach a top speed of 52 mph over a 1,800-foot-long track. The RMC Raptor inline-style coaster trains will travel through three inversions including a dive loop and corkscrew.

The Pantheon coaster coming to Busch Gardens Williamsburg in Virginia will feature track segments themed to five Roman gods: Pluto, Mercury, Neptune, Jupiter and Minerva.

Billed as the fastest multi-launch coaster in North America, Pantheon will include forward and backward launches that propel riders to a top speed of 72 mph over a 3,300-foot-long track.

The 178-foot-tall Blitz coaster from Switzerland-based Intamin will send riders down a beyond-vertical 95-degree drop and through two inversions.

The Arctic-themed Ice Breaker quadruple launch coaster coming to SeaWorld Orlando will send riders up and over icy summits on a wintery journey in sunkissed Florida.

The Maryland-based Premier Rides Sky Rocket coaster begins with backward and forward airtime-filled launches that shoot the train up a 93-foot-tall beyond-vertical 100-degree spike track.

After descending the Scorpion Tail spike, riders will reach a top speed of 52 mph as they fly over an 80-foot-tall near-vertical top hat element, race through high-speed twists and hop over camelback hills.

Six Flags Over Texas will get the first Mack Power Splash launched shuttle coaster in North America in 2021.

Aquaman Power Wave will travel backward and forward twice on a U-shaped track before a dramatic splashdown finale that will generate a tremendous wave of water.

The 20-seat boat will rocket backward up a 148-foot-tall track spike before racing forward across an undulating track skimming over a pool of water to another towering spike. Riders will then hurtle backward again above the lake and up the first 90-degree spike again. After a brief hang time, the boat will splash down into the lake at 63 mph unleashing a powerful wave.

The first Mack Power Splash debuted in 2016 at Walibi Belgium, a former Six Flags park.

SeaWorld San Diego will add its tallest roller coaster in 2021 as the marine park continues to shift its focus from animal attractions to thrill rides.

The 153-foot-tall Emperor floorless dive coaster will be the longest, tallest and fastest ride of its kind in California.

Built by Switzerland-based Bolliger & Mabillard, Mako will have a 143-foot-tall vertical first drop, a top speed of 60 mph and nearly 2,500 feet of track. The ride will feature a barrel roll and a sweeping Immelmann loop named after a German pilot who used the distinctive flying maneuver in World War II.

Epcot will get a new Ratatouille dark ride as part of the France pavilion expansion at Disneys Florida theme park.

Remys Ratatouille Adventure at Epcot will be a copy of the $150 million Remys Totally Zany Adventure attraction at the Disneyland Paris resort.

The attraction features trackless ride vehicles with 3-D projections and special effects.

Shrunk to the size of a rat, visitors navigate around giant food props and towering kitchen utensils as they explore Paris from the point of view of the 2007 films rodent protagonist. In a number of scenes, riders see 3-D images projected on giant domed screens.

The new Legoland New York theme park will open in 2021 in the small town of Goshen, about 60 miles northwest of New York City.

Geared for kids 12 and under, Legoland New York hopes to draw visitors from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. The park will be open seasonally from early spring through late fall.

Billed as the worlds largest Legoland theme park, the 500-acre New York location will feature more than 50 rides, shows and attractions in eight themed lands including Pirates Shores, Lego Ninjago World and Heartlake City. The centerpiece will be Miniland with iconic real-world buildings and places made with Lego bricks.

Legoland New York will be home to the first Great Lego Adventure attraction that will let riders experience what it feels like to become a Lego minifigure from the manufacturing process to the box to the hands of a kid.

Other major attractions will include a Ninjago dark ride, Dragon kiddie coaster, Lego Driving School, Fire Academy, Rogue Wave Riders, Splash Battle, Merlins Flying Machines and DJ Dizzys Disco Spin.

The new park, like several Legoland attractions around the world, was pushed back to 2021 after being set to debut in 2020.

The new Lego Movie World themed land coming to Legoland California will drop visitors into the quirky, frenetic and manic world of Emmet Brickowski, Wyldstyle, Unikitty and Benny the spaceman from the Lego Movie film franchise.

Lego Movie World will open in 2021 at the Carlsbad kiddie park with a Masters of Flight flying theater, Unikittys Disco Drop kiddie drop tower, carousel, play area and meet-and-greet location themed to the movie town of Bricksburg.

The new Lego Movie World will be the largest addition in Legoland Californias history. A similar Lego Movie World opened in 2019 at Legoland Florida.

Epcot will launch a new version of the long-running Illuminations show in 2021 that updates the nighttime spectacular created as part of the Walt Disney World millennium celebration.

The new Harmonious show will celebrate how Disney music inspires people around the globe. The fireworks and laser show will feature massive floating set pieces, LED panels and choreographed fountain displays.

Billed as the largest nighttime spectacular ever created for a Disney park, Harmonious will take over the World Showcase Lagoon following a limited run of Epcot Forever.

Disney had planned to unveil the new nighttime spectacular in 2020 as part of Epcots 50th anniversary celebration.

Snake River Expedition is Cedar Points attempt to create its own version of Disneylands Jungle Cruise at the Ohio theme park.

Passengers aboard the riverboat ride will join Trapper Dan and his band of bandits on a risky smuggling mission to trade some goods and sundries. The boats sail along a winding, murky river where riders encounter bad guys out to steal their cargo.

Actors aboard the boat will conduct a hastily-planned takeover like a train robbery on a river.

Snake River Expedition had been planned for 2020, but was postponed until 2021.

Knotts Berry Farm will bring back the Bear-y Tales dark ride in a tribute to the original one-of-a-kind attraction with the catchy theme song that could only be found at the Buena Park theme park.

The Knotts Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair 4-D interactive dark ride will replace the Voyage to the Iron Reef 4-D interactive dark ride that debuted at the park in 2015. Both rides were designed by Montreal-based ride maker Triotech.

Bear-y Tales riders will once again follow Boysen Bear and Girlsen Bear as they travel to the Country Fair in hopes of winning a blue ribbon for their boysenberry pie. Crafty Coyote and his mischievous pups will be back with their eyes on the pies and thievery on their minds. New digitally rendered scenes will recreate the Boysenberry Pie Factory, Frog Forest, Fortune Teller Camp, Thunder Cave and Weird Woods from the original attraction.

This time around, riders will be armed with jelly blasters they will train on the thieving coyotes who have stolen boysenberry pies from the factory.

The completed Knotts ride was planned for 2020 and will debut when the park fully reopens.

The Dragon Slayer fourth-dimension roller coaster coming to Iowas Adventureland will feature seats that spin forward and backward as the train navigates a zigzagging track with undulating straightaways and free-fall drops.

The 4D Free Spin coaster by Utah-based S&S Worldwide will feature a track that snakes back and forth like a demonic pachinko game. Aided by magnetic kickers along the track, the Dragon Slayer trains will spin freely based on gravity and the weight distribution of the cars.

The new Dragon Slayer ride replaces the parks double-looping 1990 Dragon coaster.

The most talked -about new coaster of 2021 is coming to the new Funplex Myrtle Beach oceanfront amusement park in South Carolina.

The otherwise-ordinary Fun in the Sun family coaster stands out thanks to one unique twist: The so-called 360 Car that spins like a human hamster wheel.

New Jersey-based Rides 4-U debuted the Big Air coaster from SBF Visa Group at the 2019 IAAPA Expo.

ThrillGeek summarized the sentiment on the IAAPA show floor: This new coaster from SBF Visa is nuts!

A Schwarzkopf looping coaster with a long history of traveling the German fair circuit before operating in the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Mexico is now heading to the historic 1926 Indiana Beach amusement park.

The as-yet-unnamed triple loop coaster stands 111 feet tall and reaches a top speed of 53 mph as it travels over a 3,400-foot-long track. The classic coaster should attract a steady cavalcade of ride enthusiasts to Indiana Beach who love classic Schwarzkopf loopers and intense G-forces. The ride hits an astonishing 4.7 Gs, according to Screamscape.

Two riders were killed on the coaster in 2019 when the last car derailed at the La Feria Chapultepec amusement park in Mexico. The accident was blamed on poor maintenance by the park.

The Sidewinder Safari roller coaster will navigate hairpin turns, steep drops and helixes along a 1,400-foot-long track.

The new family coaster coming to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom will be combined with an animal exhibit. Riders will enter through a jungle-themed queue displaying snakes, lizards and other reptiles.

The Zamperla Twister coaster will have a traditional Wild Mouse-style track layout with spinning cars.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk will add a kiddie drop tower that offers panoramic views of the Pacific shoreline.

The Lighthouse Liftoff ride lets seated riders pull themselves to the top of a slowly spinning tower. Riders control the speed of the ascent by pulling on a rope. Let go of the rope and you slowly sink back to the ground.

The new ride technically debuted in 2020 when the Beach Boardwalk briefly opened for two days in November before a spike in COVID-19 cases in Santa Cruz County forced the oceanfront amusement park to close again. But Lighthouse Liftoff will be new to 99.9% of visitors when Beach Boardwalk reopens in 2021.

Legoland California has several of the kid-powered drop towers.

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Top 21 for 2021: Best new attractions coming to U.S. theme parks - OCRegister

Author Beth Cunningham - December 7, 2020December 7, 2020Two Birmingham favorites in one place. Rendering via CMH Architects

If youve driven through Homewood lately, youve probably noticed an abundance of orange cones and construction going on. Dont worrythe traffic is a fair trade for all the exciting developments coming to 18th St. S. Heres the latest on whats coming (and when its going to get here).

Back in September, we shared the latest renderings of The Valley Hotel, the newest (and biggest) addition to Homewood.

The 129-room luxury hotel is a Curio by Hilton, and its currently under construction at the corner of 18th Street South and 28th Avenue South, right next toMaple Street Biscuit Co.

The Valley Hotel is officially set to open its doors in Januarybut well be bringing you a sneak peek before then. Be sure to stay tuned to Bham Now on social so you dont miss it!

Who doesnt love the fresh + vibrant flavors of this local favorite? Little Donkey isnt new to Homewood, but based on my personal experience of dining at their original location recently, filling even more space with customers will be a breeze.

Back in April, we shared that Little Donkey and Rodney Scotts BBQ had plans to open new locations in Homewood. That project is officially moving forward following a resurveying request granted by the Homewood Planning Commission on December 1, according to the Homewood Star.

With almost 17,000 square feet of total restaurant space in this new development, Little Donkey will only fill half. The other tenant will be award-winning Rodney Scotts BBQ.

Pssst: if you want to learn more about this local BBQ hotspot, check out the Emmy-nominated series Chefs Table: BBQ on Netflix. Theres a whole episode featuring Chef and Pitmaster Rodney Scott.

This combined restaurant space will be located right next to The Valley Hotel, both of which are set to open in 2021.

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Downtown Homewood continues to expandhere's the latest - Bham Now