La Conner is open for business

Skagit County’s commissioners and public health staff had to wait till 10 a.m. Friday for the Washington Health Department’s notice that the County was approved to move into Phase 2 of Gov. Jay Inslee’s Stay Safe COVID-19 order for phased re-opening of Washington’s economy.

In La Conner, some businesses had been letting customers in all week. Others, eateries like The Slider Café, Santo Coyote, La Conner Brewery, Nell Thorn and Waterfront Café and The La Conner Pub and Eatery,

had identified or rearranged the dining area for safe seating once they could open. Sneeze shields were installed on the backs of every booth at Slider’s. Bar counters are closed everywhere in the state.

At 10 a.m. Saturday morning The Slider Café was serving folks at a couple of tables. “It’s a start, it’s a slow one but it is a start,” said owner Pat Ball. “It is kind of crazy to run a restaurant without people in it,” he said, referring to the two months of takeout only business. Sunday morning at 10 a.m. he again had a couple of tables of customers.

Things were slow inside at Nell Thorn Sunday at 2 p.m. and again at 4 p.m. Each time three or four tables on their outside area were occupied. The Waterfront Café had customers at three outside tables at 2 p.m. Sunday. La Conner Brewery’s patio was filled at lunchtime Sunday, reported Manager Chelsea Suit, though both it and inside seating were mostly empty at 2:15 p.m. Sunday.

Sunday was Santo Coyote’s first day with table service. Co-owner Cristol Perkins noted business was light but said it was good for staff settling in. Anelia’s Kitchen and Stage had their sign directing people to takeout at the side of the building and a sign on the door listed Friday and Saturday evening hours for inside seating.

The parking lot below Maple Hall was full of vehicles 4 p.m. Sunday, as was First Street, both parking places and traffic lanes. The boardwalk pocket parks each had several occupied picnic tables.

Obviously, people want to come to La Conner and many businesses are eager to have them.

Other merchants are in no hurry to open.

More shops were open than not. The closed businesses Sunday anchor both sides of the south end of First Street, mostly in a cluster: Calico Cupboard and The Stall were closed, though Pauline Server of Rambling Rose was open. Alan Darcy’s Two Moons Gallery is still closed.

Across the street, Amaryllis, Hotel Planter Hotel and Earthenworks were closed. From The Wood Merchant north, most businesses were open, but not the Walking Mod or Pelindaba Lavender.

Bitters is gone, the space empty, the Carson sisters, Amy and Katie, back at their Best and Calhoun roads barn.

At each store, signs, guidances and masks varied from the detailed to completely absent, America being where community health is a personal choice and everyone obeys the law once caught.

The La Conner Chamber of Commerce has developed a “Sidewalk Sales/Sidewalk Cafés” plan providing a “safe option for ‘sidewalk’ sales’” through July 30. Chamber Director Heather Carter is promoting this to businesses.

Monday Mayor Ramon Hayes was stressing his belief that local business owners will be more responsible than corporately run big box stores. “It is not rocket science. We know how helpful masks can be. We can still manage to earn a living,” he said.

He believes that local merchants know they “need to be responsible to keep themselves safe and keep people safe who they allow in their store. We have every incentive and interest in the world to be responsible.” It will take time on the part of tourists, but Hayes expects local merchants will require their employees to wear masks – a state requirement since June 8. He is glad the tourists are returning. Now, Hayes said, businesses will have to communicate requirements for entering their establishments.

“We know how helpful masks can be” Hayes pointed out. “We can still manage to earn a living”