A taste of eating out in La Conner

The Weekly News surveyed all La Conner eateries after their first week of serving sitdown meals, a result of the state now operating under Phase 2 restrictions of the Healthy Washington – Roadmap to Recovery Plan. Three responded. Here is what they reported.

Pat Ball, owner of The Slider Café, and his staff are COVID19 exhausted but optimistic. He experienced “a great week of seeing many of our beloved guests return and enjoy themselves.” March 2021 will be better than last year, he projects. He expects the downward trend in new coronavirus cases to continue.

Ball was not deterred by the snow, but “was extremely happy to see it snow, as it isn’t winter until it snows. That being said, I don’t think 11 inches needs to fall all at once. It didn’t help it help that it happened on Valentines Day as it definitely had an impact.” Sliders did not open.

Ball is realistic about the ongoing pandemic induced restriction but is hopeful “that there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, we should head for it.”

On South First Street, La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib co-owner Kari Vandenbosch is “hopeful that people will want to get out and keep supporting local.” This year has been challenging, with the big snowstorm slowing the big Valentine’s Day crowd. The snow kept her from opening that Saturday. Her staff is looking for a better spring, also.

Ted Furst, Nell Thorn majority owner, is projecting “strong demand and good business levels – people are tired of sitting by themselves at home!” The restaurant had a better than expected Feb. 14 weekend and is now looking back at “bumps that were made of snow and ice.” He termed 2021 “fairly tame” so far, though Skagit County’s delay in getting to Phase 2 was difficult emotionally.

While Ball will speak with his accountant before applying for federal Paycheck Protection Program or state funding, Vandenbosch and Furst are making plans. Vandenbosch will use monies to “continue to cover operation costs and help from the despairing sales of 2020.”

Furst is eyeing state funding as the only source of assistance, perhaps from new legislation signed by Gov. Jay Inslee last week. His summary: “Our sales in 2020 were a little less than half of what we would have done without the pandemic. Our fixed costs didn’t change. We’ve been scraping by with the generous patronage of our neighbors, but we were definitely not profitable in 2020. We expect the government help will put us back on sound financial footing.”

This week Nell Thorn returned to its six days open schedule. The Slider Café is back on its regular schedule. La Conner Seafood & Prime Rib is open daily 12-7 p.m. and suggesting: “Due to capacity restrictions reservations are highly recommended.”