Native Tree and Shrub Sale

 Native tree and shrub sale at the town square pavilion until 2 p.m .today. Town square parking was packed last night, likely due to people in town for Family Weekend.  Even people waiting to get  into Mary Lou's at 7 a.m today.

Restaurants on Vacation

 The following resaurants/food places are currently closed for vacation.

Thai Taste-reopens July 7th

La Unica Bakery -reopens July 10

Mary Lou's - reopens July 11

Electric Larry's was closed today as well but no indication that they will close for the entire week.

Mary Lous

 Looks like Mary Lou's will not have to pay the $750 fine for seating customers during the restrictions. I would guess that, since the restrictions got eased a few days later, the city has decided the bad press is not worth the effort

Tier One

 Nope not Pier One. They closed up and moved away awhile ago.  The state announced late yesterday that our region had moved into Tier One mitigation, meaning that infection rates had dropped to a low enough rate that restaurants and bars could reopen with limited seating. Pag's Pizza reopened inside dining last night and Mary Lou's announced they will reopen on the 19th.

Mary Lou's Closed

 Mary Lou's has a sign posted on the door indicating that they would close for the immediate future and announce a reopening either on the door or on their Facebook page.  Looks as if they are now offering specials via FB like 16 biscuits and gravy for $25 in limited quantities, which sold out in about 12 hours.

I find it interesting that both Thai Taste and Aban Kitchen, in the same block, are able to do well enough with takeout that they can remain open, while Mary Lou's cannot. Granted the epidemic affected Mary Lou's more than the other two, forcing the restaurant to change its model and start accepting credit cards, which it had resisted for years but still, the other two operate under the same space limitations as Mary Lou's with no outside dining. Maybe because Mary Lou's caters strongly to breakfast diners or because the atmosphere at M;s is a major selling point?

Mary Lou's

 Looks like Mary Lou's got hit with a $750 fine for offering indoor dining. When the fall shutdown came, the cafe chose to remain open and offer seating dining. Rather surprised to see them get hit with a fine since the States Attorney's office said it would not prosecute. So far the Governor's closure orders have held up in court.

Mary Lou's Reopening

According to the signs in the windows, Mary Lou's will open again on August 4th. This time for good? 

Mary Lou's Grill

Mary Lou's Grill, a downtown mainstay since 1962, has see the same drop in sales that hit El Greco's and put out a similar post earlier this month. From their FB page on July 13:

As most of you know my husband Robert and I own Mary Lou's Grill in Carbondale. Due to many factors including the influx of many chain restaurants,the economy of our very unstable state and the massive taxes from our city and county --business at our restaurant and at many if not all Locally Owned restaurants is CRITICALLY down!!

We have been in business since 1962--one of the oldest family owned places. We have had to lay off some of our employees from 5 days a week to just 3. We have cut our Saturday staff in half. This is by far the most difficult year we have seen. All of our staff including our family are hard working people and appreciate the opportunity we have been given in Carbondale all these years.

But now are asking for your help--Please don't forget us!! I am speaking for all the LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED BUSINESSES in our town
Shop and eat at our businesses--and contact your city council and ask them to lower these taxes which are a big part of what is driving business out of Carbondale. Many of the restaurant owners have been at council meetings to plead our case but to no avail. We really need your help.

Thank you for your support!! God Bless!!

Apparently it worked as this was the post on the restaurant's FB page on July 14:

OVERWHELMED!! thank you for all the support!! if you came in today-sorry we were a little understaffed for the turnout--we will have more staff on Saturday as we always do. Biscuits and Gravy all day tomorrow.

Just wanted to make people aware of the situation for all our small locally owned businesses and we sure heard from a bunch of fine folks

We are going to do everything we can to survive this-- as we hope the rest of the small businesses will do so!!😃

Mary Lou's Closed for the Week

I was really tempted just to put "Mary Lou's Closed..." in the headline but doing that would annoy a significant number of the Carbondale population who loves to eat there. According to the sign in the window, they are closed through July 7th.

However, the sign also says that if you miss them badly enough, come visit them at their other restaurant, Crazy Joe's Fish House, after 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.  Unfortunately, the sign doesn't tell you where Crazy Joe's is.  Doing a little research, apparently it is  a walk- up window out in the country off the Ava Blacktop, with picnic tables under a shelter.  In case you want to try it, the directions are:

From Rte. 3 or 4 to Rte 123, 4 miles to blue tourist sign, go 2 miles on Kessel Road to Suchman Road, look for the sign.

Mary Lou's

Looks as if Mary Lou's will move to its new next-door location in the near future.  I see the sign has already moved from the old building to the new one.