Kelsie is like Maria; her emotions always show up in her face. She sounded sad on the phone when I called in my takeout lunch order, and she looked sad in this photo.
The state made all restaurants close last week because of the coronavirus, and it hit Jean’s hard. They had a busy, almost booming few days, but Sunday and today were tranquil, and everybody crashed.
(Local People: For takeout at Jean’s Place, call 518 686 3258)
“How’s business today?” I asked Kelsie. “Baaaaaad!…,” she said in her sad voice.
When I call tomorrow, I’d love to hear her cheerful voice, but I also know life will be up and down for a while, for her, for me, for everybody reading this.
It’s hard for Kelly and Kevin and Kelsie to know if some days will be quiet and others busy, like so many restaurants, but it feels to them as if the life of their beloved restaurant hangs in the balance every day.
Maybe it does, I can’t say.
They were sure humming for most days last week.
I’m going to stay with the story of Jean’s Place, it is, in many ways, the story of America right now. I’ll share the good and the bad, and always the truth.
Nobody knows how long Jean’s and millions of small businesses will be shut down in many different parts of the country.
Some health officials think it will be months, a growing number of politicians believe people will start returning to work and businesses will start re-opening in a week or two.
Italy and Hong Kong show the danger of loosening up too quickly; the collapsing economy shows the threat of shutting down for too long.
Our county has seen four cases of the virus, all centered around one couple, and it seems bizarre to see every business closed.
But this is one for me to leave to the professionals, I just don’t know enough.
I feel for Jean’s Place, but I told Kelsie there would be ups and downs, this is a marathon, not a sprint. I think a slump like this is inevitable; I have high hopes for tomorrow and the rest of the week.
Jean’s is more than a restaurant, it is an idea of family and community.
I think the town has made it clear how much Jean’s means to them, as it does to me.
I put my faith in that. The virus is changing our lives, perhaps permanently in some ways. Our eating habits may be changing also.
But I think Jean’s is for real and will outlast this trouble. They did an excellent job providing soup, sandwiches, and some gorgeous pies to the Mansion for lunch today.
The takeout no is 518 686 3258. Cheer up, Kelsie. This is a test of all of us, of our faith and resilience. You have both.
(Portrait Photo By Maria Wulf)
I don’t come by here very often. Maybe once or twice every year or so, but now that I’m forced to work from home, I have more time. (I like reading about the animals.)
I have a proposal for Jean’s Place: When I commuted, I used to spend maybe $10-15 per day on lunch. I was fortunate in that: 1. I could afford to do that and 2. some of it was subsidized by my employer (roughly half). Now that I’m home and thankfully still employed (and likely will be for the near-term) why don’t I spend my money at Jean’s? Sure I’ve never been there and likely never will be, but why not? I know they’re not open right now and frankly, I can’t ever get their food so here’s the other part of my proposal: they save or spend the money to keep themselves and their employees afloat. WHEN they re-open, they take some portion of what I’ve spent there (roughly half? but it’s up to them – they know their business better than I) to make free meals for kids/elderly/whomever might need it. That’s it. No strings attached. At this point, I can pledge two weeks of meals ($10x5x2) or $100. If you can get just 10-20 other people to do this, it might really help the restaurant AND the community.
Jon – can you set something up with Jean’s to make this happen (if you think it’s a good idea?).
Norm, thanks, that seems wonderful, but too complicated for them right now, it takes a lot of work to keep track of that and monitor it they are up to their necks in work right now..I’ll be happy to mention it to them, and thanks for the thought.