Telluride and Real Estate Blog

Telluride eateries reopening responsibly

By Justin Criado, Editor 16 hrs ago 

While the Town of Telluride enters the second week of reopening the local economy, businesses are adapting to the new public health guidelines. Eateries are now open to in-person business, which includes a 50-percent or 50-percon, whichever is less, capacity limit. The county’s guidelines also limit groups to no more than eight people at a time.

The Butcher & The Baker is one of the most popular spots on Main Street, as out-the-door lines often form during busy summer weekends, particularly when there’s a festival or other large event happening in town.

Front-of-house manager Lollie Lavercombe explained the coffee shop has reopened for Sunday brunch from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well as in-person business, during regular business hours Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The full menu, as well as drinks, is back, too. Takeout out is still available.

With outdoor seating out front and around one side of the building, as well as the neighboring public pocket park, physically distancing tables has not been an issue, Lavercombe added. 

“Inside we have only five tables. We have a host or manager on duty who is facilitating the flow and helping keep people distanced and save,” she said. “We have a cleaning protocol that we’re following, too, with wipe downs with bleach.”

One of five managers, including owner Megan Ossola, Lavercombe said she’s just “one piece of the puzzle” as the business navigates reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like eateries, the lodging sector has also been reopening within the past two weeks, which paired with the lift of the mandatory 14-day quarantine period for visitors, means more people will be traveling into town. 

The Butcher & The Baker has seen more patrons recently, Lavercombe said.

“We definitely feel our loyal customers, both locals and tourists coming into town. It feels busy,” she explained. “But it’s relative. You know what this place can look like over Bluegrass or Mountainfilm, when there’s a line out the door and packed seating.”

In following proper protocols, including educating patrons about the town’s ordinance that requires facemasks to be worn indoors in public, The Butcher & The Baker is doing what it does best — continuing to serve up a little slice of comfort.

“I think overall we feel prepared, and we also feel that we can provide our community with some food and drinks in a safe way, so we’re excited about it,” Lavercombe said.

Similarly to The Butcher & The Baker, Smugglers Brew Pub is welcoming patrons back into its laidback confines. Open daily from noon to 8 p.m., the microbrewery and eatery has opened all of its outdoor seating, including the “beer deck” at the front of the building, manager Lauren Oliver explained. Of course, physical distancing is required.  

“We’re working hard to follow the county and state guidelines. All outdoor seating is opening with social distancing,” she added. “We’re not sitting every table. We’re trying to work around so that all the tables are six feet apart.”

Tags

• telluride (36)
• News (16)
• restaurants (1)
• tourism (1)