Restaurant owners rally in Bethel Park to keep businesses open
Mike Jones
Al鈥檚 Cafe owner Rod Ambrogi speaks during a December 2020 rally outside his restaurant protesting Gov. Tom Wolf鈥檚 order restricting indoor dining in Pennsylvania.
Mike Jones/Observer-Reporter
Dozens of people attended a rally at Al鈥檚 Cafe in Bethel Park pushing to allow restaurants in Pennsylvania to reopen for indoor dining.
BETHEL PARK 鈥� Restaurateurs should band together to open up their businesses in defiance of Gov. Tom Wolf鈥檚 order suspending indoor dining, Al鈥檚 Cafe owner Rod Ambrogi told other local entrepreneurs at a rally outside his Bethel Park restaurant.
鈥淵ou know what we鈥檙e facing here, what this governor has done to us the last nine months,鈥� said Ambrogi, who addressed dozens of other restaurant owners during the rally Monday afternoon in which he said their industry is being unfairly targeted by Wolf. 鈥淵ou guys are letting him do this. 鈥� Spread the word out. Open up.鈥�
Tensions have been on the rise since Wolf announced the three-week shutdown that prohibits restaurants and bars from serving food and alcohol indoors until Jan. 4. While only a handful of restaurants in the area initially defied the governor鈥檚 latest order after it was announced Dec. 10, numerous eateries have since reversed course and are now open for indoor dining.
This was the second rally Ambrogi held outside his restaurant in the past four months to protest government restrictions on dining. But some in the crowd grew restless during the rally and wanted more to be done, including Alex Nicholas, who owns Mia Madre Trattoria in Avalon.
鈥淲hat are you going to do about it?鈥� Nicholas shouted from the crowd while several area state representatives were speaking at a lectern. 鈥淲ho鈥檚 doing anything for us?鈥�
鈥淵ou know what you鈥檙e going to do?鈥� Ambrogi interjected. 鈥淪tand up and fight.鈥�
Ambrogi held up an orange 鈥渃losed鈥� sign that he said was placed on his doors by the Allegheny County Health Department on Friday. He said it would not stop him from operating his restaurant through the shutdown.
鈥淚t鈥檚 something we knew was going to happen. I鈥檓 going to have to battle that when it comes,鈥� Ambrogi said after the rally about potential punishment.
Rally organizer state Rep. Bud Cook, R-West Pike Run, told the crowd he wants to organize a face-to-face meeting with Wolf to discuss the restrictions, and urged the public to write letters to the governor expressing their displeasure. But some in the crowd raised concerns about whether they would be punished or lose their liquor license and operating permits if they disobeyed the rules.
After the rally, Nicholas said he knows friends who have lost their operating permits while remaining open, although business has been brisk despite the shutdown. He attended the last rally in August and came away dismayed with the lack of an action plan to allow restaurants to reopen.
鈥淣one of that is going to happen,鈥� Nicholas said of Cook鈥檚 plan to meet with Wolf. 鈥淣othing will help because everyone is scared. They have a gun to our heads. They hold all the power.鈥�
Allegheny County Health Department spokeswoman Amie Downs said there is a long legal process the department must undertake to enforce the order.
鈥淎s a health department, our inspectors do not have the authority to shut down a business and padlock its doors immediately,鈥� Downs said. 鈥淥ur inspectors can order a business to close and suspend its operating permit, but if a business refuses to comply with that order, the health department may work through the courts for further enforcement.
A spokeswoman with the state Department of Agriculture did not respond to a request for comment Monday on what that agency is doing to enforce Wolf鈥檚 order.
The owners of The Riv restaurant in Fredericktown posted on Facebook that a government agency blocked them from reopening Friday after they announced plans to restart indoor dining. They did not elaborate on who contacted the restaurant鈥檚 owners, although state Department of Agriculture officials said last week they would close facilities out of compliance and refer continued problems to the state Department of Health. The restaurant said it would return to takeout and curbside service.
鈥淯nfortunately, we have been closed back down before we even started (Friday). If we didn鈥檛 comply, they were going to take our license.鈥�
Meanwhile, business has been booming at places in the area that decided to remain open.
1933 Grille in Belle Vernon announced it held a 鈥淪ave My Staff鈥檚 Christmas Weekend鈥� with indoor dining Saturday and Sunday, although it was unclear whether the restaurant would continue indoor service this week or return to takeout orders.
鈥淢y staff is my family and I want to help them out, and also hope for all your support,鈥� the post read. 鈥淲e are just trying to survive.鈥�
One customer identified as David 鈥淪cotty鈥� Thompson left a $1,000 tip on a $29 food order Saturday afternoon, according to a photo posted by the restaurant on its Facebook page.
鈥淔or the staff of 1933!鈥� Thompson wrote on the check. 鈥淗ang in there! Merry Xmas!鈥�
Caporella鈥檚 Italian Ristorante in Uniontown announced Thursday it would reopen for indoor dining, but by Friday, the restaurant posted on Facebook that it would be 鈥渢emporarily closed.鈥�
鈥淒ue to unforeseen circumstances, we are reevaluating what we think is best for our restaurant, employees, family and customers. We appreciate all the support you have given us and we will see you soon.鈥�
Follow-up posts said the restaurant would only be selling gift cards Monday, but that it would be open again for indoor dining beginning Tuesday and was still taking reservations for New Year鈥檚 Eve.