LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — While COVID-19 cases continue to rise in our state, restaurants are having to constantly adapt.
Some are closing their doors due to positive tests and others out of an abundance of caution.
On Thursday night, The Library Kitchen and Lounge in the River Market opened its doors after shutting down early last week when their owner, Rob Byford, tested positive for COVID-19.
"Every time it's been a singular individual and this time it happened to be me," he said.
Byford is the fourth one on his staff to test positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began, which meant stacking up chairs and shutting doors once again.
"It's a bad deal. It was disheartening to tell them, but it was a decision that I felt like I needed to make," he said.
Byford said it's never easy in this industry to bounce back after a brief close and that task is even harder now with limited seating and directives on when "last call" can be.
"When you're running on a very small margin to begin with, it's very difficult and the curfew has almost crippled us," he said.
While Byford's staff gets ready to welcome back in customers Thursday night, after spending the last week deep-cleaning, Mark Abernathy's staff will have to wait a bit longer.
"It's hit a lot of restaurants, but no matter what you do, it's a bullet flying around out there," he said.
Abernathy, the owner of Loca Luna and Red Door, said they have "dodged some lighting strikes" because they've had zero cases of COVID-19, but he still chose to temporarily close one of his restaurants.
"Red Door is actually holding its own, but Loca Luna... we've got to get back to where we can fire on all cylinders before it makes sense to keep it open," he said.
According to Abernathy, sales are getting hammered at the Little Rock staple because it relies on bar and private party business, but finances aren't the only reason for the shut down.
"We are also very concerned about the surge and where that's headed and what that's going to do to our industry," he said.
Abernathy is hopeful Loca Luna will open its doors in the coming weeks, but no date is set yet.
Both restaurant owners emphasized the importance of continuing to eat locally, whether it's take-out or a sit-down meal, every dollar helps.