Counties Reopening: Yuba City Businesses Get Back To Work Monday
YUBA CITY (CBS13) — Yuba and Sutter County businesses say they couldn't rely on the federal or state government to stay solvent during the stay-at-home order, so they did not rely on them for a go-ahead to reopen.
"It's exciting. I am tired of doing takeout," said Cash Gillis, who was excited to sit down to breakfast she didn't have to make for the first time in two months.
She and her family celebrated her son's birthday at Linda's Soda Bar and Grill Monday morning.
"We need to be open," she said.
The restaurant reopened with new sanitization protocols after the county gave them the go-ahead.
"We did takeout for three weeks, but that's as just not the same," said manager Lori Feanel.
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Feanel said the stay-at-home order served up financial problems for restaurants.
"They were telling us we were going to get unemployment, but I was like 'how are the owners going to keep the business going?'" Feanel said.
The owner says he got a very small piece of the pie when it came to the federal government's paycheck protection program. So he had to rely on a zero percent loan from his Chase credit card. Businesses we talked with say it's time to get back to business, and not just from an economic standpoint.
"It's been dark and dead around here. Streets have been empty," said the owner of LBK Optical.
The optical shop already saw the difference Monday.
"So the city is already more alive," said his son Keith Williamson.
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Gillis, who also owns nearby CrossPointe bookstore, says online delivery was serviceable, but not sustainable.
"I functioned with my phone and messenger and FaceTiming and did home delivery," said Gillis.
But in order for the state to function, she says one-by-one, counties need to cautiously take back control.
"We want to continue to be smart about this. And take precautions to make sure this doesn't happen again," she said.