Hospitality Democracy’s downtown restaurants to reopen for curbside, delivery service

After closing for six weeks due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Milwaukee-based Hospitality Democracy is reopening four of its restaurants for curbside pick-up and delivery service.

AJ Bombers, Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria, Onesto and Smoke Shack, all located in and around downtown Milwaukee, will open on Thursday, April 30.

AJ Bombers and Smoke Shack Express at the Mayfair Collection in Wauwatosa as well as Holey Moley Coffee & Doughnuts in the Historic Third Ward will remain closed indefinitely.

The restaurant group said in a news release Tuesday that it has “worked to put robust health and safety measures in place to confidently and effectively” run curbside and delivery service. 

Bars and restaurants in Wisconsin have been closed for in-house service since March 17, when the state introduced restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus. Most restaurants across the area have remained open for carryout and delivery service.

Hospitality Democracy temporarily ceased operations at all its restaurants on March 19 in an effort, the group said, to help keep diners and employees safe during the ongoing public health crisis. 

At the time, the company temporarily laid off 225 employees, according to a notice sent to state officials. Chris Adams, vice president of operations and development, said also at the time that the layoffs were a formality to allow employees to file for unemployment assistance from the state. 

When four of its restaurants open on Thursday, 60% of the group’s employee base will be back at work, said Adams in an interview with BizTimes Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Like many restaurants, Hospitality Democracy has continued to pay its employees during the closure thanks to the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, but after six weeks of no work, those who are able to return are excited about it, he said.

“This gives us the flexibility for those folks who can and want to (return to work), and for those folks who can’t or are unable to, they have the opportunity to be at home and know that their job is secure when we reopen,” said Adams

The restaurants group relied on guidelines and best practices from other companies to map out a safe reopening strategy that includes providing disposable and reusable masks, gloves and sanitation for all employees and using peroxide sanitizer to spray down work surfaces. Workers will be required to wash hands thoroughly every 30 minutes during a shift.

No more than six to eight employees will be permitted to work at each restaurant at one time. Each shift will be covered by the same group of employees in order to “mitigate the amount of exposure for everybody,” Adams said.

Resuming some operations now is intended to help Hospitality Democracy prepare for a full-scale reopening when it’s safe to do so, he said.

“We anticipate opening our dining rooms in June at some point… this gives us a good four weeks of getting our processes together so our employees can feel safe and understand what’s happening,” said Adams.

In the meantime, the group is working to gain the trust of diners who may be hesitant to order food or eventually dine out, even when it’s permitted by the state. Adams said each restaurant will be posting videos to show what’s going on inside in regard to employee PPE and food handling.

“Even before the pandemic, it was important for people to understand our safety practices, but more so now it’s essential for every business to be as transparent as possible,” he said.

Adams anticipates restaurants that are not as transparent during this public health crisis potentially losing business because of it.

Starting Thursday, AJ Bombers will be open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Blue Bat Kitchen & Tequilaria will be open Tuesday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Onesto will be open Wednesday through Monday, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Smoke Shack will be open Wednesday through Monday, 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. 

Get more news and insight in the April 27 issue of BizTimes Milwaukee. Subscribe to get updates in your inbox here.