Opening a restaurant is no easy feat. Even for new local business owners who are taking over the reins of a successful location with a hearty customer base and making it uniquely their own, nothing about the process is simple or effortless. 

Now try it in the middle of a global pandemic. 

Lynne Hammatt bought the former Sandi’s Diner in March, as the seriousness of COVID-19 was becoming evident. After painting the interior and preparing for its debut, Lily’s Diner opened its doors on April 15 to a very different world. First of all, welcoming customers to come in and sit down for a meal — a fairly basic assumption for a new restaurant trying to get on its feet — was not an option. 

“We were already limited to take-out-only when we opened,” Hammatt said. “People here didn’t know me. It was hard to find help. Every aspect has been difficult. How do you buy a restaurant and open in the middle of a pandemic? It’s hard running a restaurant in the best of circumstances.”

Hammatt had to pay attention to what customers responded to and stay flexible, adapting to the demands of an unprecedented situation. The location of Lily’s Diner had been a beloved breakfast spot for 50 years, but suddenly that didn’t seem to fit the needs of the community. 

“To-go breakfast just doesn’t work,” Hammatt discovered. Her plan had been to expand the breakfast and lunch model of the location to include dinner hours eventually, but suddenly it seemed that it was now or never. “I wanted to offer dinners. That’s what I like to do. We realized that we had to move that plan up and make the change sooner, since nobody was coming for breakfast at that time.” 

Fortunately, the change in hours and offerings seemed to hit the mark. The customer response was enthusiastic, with even a few initially skeptical diners quickly coming around to appreciate the new menu items and later hours of business. One doubtful gentleman came in with his wife and said, “I guess we have to.” 

“I was actually taken aback,” Hammatt recalled. “We could tell it was his wife’s idea to come. But now they’ve become regular customers, happy to support the business, and he likes the food. He said, ‘You know what? It’s pretty good!’ People who come in are great. Some say ‘I will never cook again.’ Some come three times a week!”

Now that phase two of the state’s reopening plan is in effect, Lily’s Diner is once again offering breakfast at several outdoor, socially distanced tables. Everyone wears masks except the customers, who remove theirs to enjoy their meals. No reusable condiments or containers are used, and the tables and everything used is sanitized. Hammatt said that although the process takes a little bit longer, her customers appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing precautions are being followed to the letter. Business is beginning to increase. Last week the diner was just adding breakfast again, and over the weekend it was very popular.

Hammatt said that sometimes people ask if she is angry about having to limit her number of customers and follow strict guidelines, reducing the amount of business the diner can do. Her answer is simple. 

“I say no. We aren’t mad,” Hammatt said. “As much as it might help business to speed things up, we really want to be safe and take things slowly. Look at what has happened in the south and other places where they have tried to do too much too soon, and it has caused so many people to suffer. As much as it hurts business, I must respect waiting. Our landlord has been very understanding and we are working together to get through this. We all need to take it easy. Take it slow. Everything will get better. Money is important, but lives are irreplaceable.” 

When Steve Gennodie opened the Chatham Fish Pier Market at the beginning of May, he was adapting to a strange situation and moving forward in the only way he knew how. With hard work and optimism. 

“It was tough, and in a weird way almost an opportunity for us, because not a lot of businesses were open at that time. We were working on fixing up the building and realized that if we waited for the perfect moment to open, it would never come,” Gennodie said. “So we stopped fixing things and just opened. We thought we’d go for it.”

The first two weeks were difficult, as Gennodie and the market staff adapted to the required precautions while also implementing the various changes that had been made to the menu. Home delivery had been part of the Chatham Fish Pier Market plan even before the pandemic began, and the location’s take-out windows — of which Gennodie admittedly was not a fan pre-COVID-19 — turned out to be exactly what was needed in the days of social distancing. 

“The service is all out the windows,” Gennodie said. “We have one window for taking orders and one for picking up the orders. We’ve marked the ground outside where people are supposed to stand to maintain the correct social distance. It’s been nerve-racking, but there are creative ways to keep business alive.”

Gennodie said that the generosity of customers to his staff has been a blessing during this difficult time. Restaurant servers and other people who work in the seasonal service industry rely on a profitable summer to carry them through the lean months of winter. With no choice in the face of COVID-19 but to keep limited business hours, Gennodie has been touched by and grateful for the generous tips given to his appreciative employees by customers. 

“Business is good,” Gennodie said. “Not dramatic, but there has been a steady increase. We now have six tables outside. Obviously weekends now are great. We’ve worked out the kinks and we were able to figure out our employees. We don’t really know what normal is. This is probably better than last year because of the problems with the (Chatham Fish Pier observation) deck. I’m not sure if phase three of the reopening plan will be a positive or a negative for us. I know that many people are eager to sit in a restaurant and have dinner and a glass of wine, but we are here in this beautiful location, we’re happy with the local support we’ve experienced, and there’s always next year.”

Opening a restaurant is no easy feat. Even for new local business owners who are taking over the reins of a successful location with a hearty customer base and making it uniquely their own, nothing about the process is simple or effortless. 
Now try it in the middle of a global pandemic.  
Lynne Hammatt bought the former Sandis Diner in March, as the seriousness of COVID-19 was becoming evident. After painting the interior and preparing for its debut, Lilys Diner opened its doors on April 15 to a very different world. First of all, welcoming customers to come in and sit down for a meal  a fairly basic assumption for a new restaurant trying to get on its feet  was not an option. 
We were already limited to take-out-only when we opened, Hammatt said. People here didnt know me. It was hard to find help. Every aspect has been difficult. How do you buy a restaurant and open in the middle of a pandemic? Its hard running a restaurant in the best of circumstances.
Hammatt had to pay attention to what customers responded to and stay flexible, adapting to the demands of an unprecedented situation. The location of Lilys Diner had been a beloved breakfast spot for 50 years, but suddenly that didnt seem to fit the needs of the community. 
To-go breakfast just doesnt work, Hammatt discovered. Her plan had been to expand the breakfast and lunch model of the location to include dinner hours eventually, but suddenly it seemed that it was now or never. I wanted to offer dinners. Thats what I like to do. We realized that we had to move that plan up and make the change sooner, since nobody was coming for breakfast at that time. 
Fortunately, the change in hours and offerings seemed to hit the mark. The customer response was enthusiastic, with even a few initially skeptical diners quickly coming around to appreciate the new menu items and later hours of business. One doubtful gentleman came in with his wife and said, I guess we have to. 
I was actually taken aback, Hammatt recalled. We could tell it was his wifes idea to come. But now theyve become regular customers, happy to support the business, and he likes the food. He said, You know what? Its pretty good! People who come in are great. Some say I will never cook again. Some come three times a week!
Now that phase two of the states reopening plan is in effect, Lilys Diner is once again offering breakfast at several outdoor, socially distanced tables. Everyone wears masks except the customers, who remove theirs to enjoy their meals. No reusable condiments or containers are used, and the tables and everything used is sanitized. Hammatt said that although the process takes a little bit longer, her customers appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing precautions are being followed to the letter. Business is beginning to increase. Last week the diner was just adding breakfast again, and over the weekend it was very popular.
Hammatt said that sometimes people ask if she is angry about having to limit her number of customers and follow strict guidelines, reducing the amount of business the diner can do. Her answer is simple. 
I say no. We arent mad, Hammatt said. As much as it might help business to speed things up, we really want to be safe and take things slowly. Look at what has happened in the south and other places where they have tried to do too much too soon, and it has caused so many people to suffer. As much as it hurts business, I must respect waiting. Our landlord has been very understanding and we are working together to get through this. We all need to take it easy. Take it slow. Everything will get better. Money is important, but lives are irreplaceable. 
When Steve Gennodie opened the Chatham Fish Pier Market at the beginning of May, he was adapting to a strange situation and moving forward in the only way he knew how. With hard work and optimism. 
It was tough, and in a weird way almost an opportunity for us, because not a lot of businesses were open at that time. We were working on fixing up the building and realized that if we waited for the perfect moment to open, it would never come, Gennodie said. So we stopped fixing things and just opened. We thought wed go for it.
The first two weeks were difficult, as Gennodie and the market staff adapted to the required precautions while also implementing the various changes that had been made to the menu. Home delivery had been part of the Chatham Fish Pier Market plan even before the pandemic began, and the locations take-out windows  of which Gennodie admittedly was not a fan pre-COVID-19  turned out to be exactly what was needed in the days of social distancing. 
The service is all out the windows, Gennodie said. We have one window for taking orders and one for picking up the orders. Weve marked the ground outside where people are supposed to stand to maintain the correct social distance. Its been nerve-racking, but there are creative ways to keep business alive.
Gennodie said that the generosity of customers to his staff has been a blessing during this difficult time. Restaurant servers and other people who work in the seasonal service industry rely on a profitable summer to carry them through the lean months of winter. With no choice in the face of COVID-19 but to keep limited business hours, Gennodie has been touched by and grateful for the generous tips given to his appreciative employees by customers. 
Business is good, Gennodie said. Not dramatic, but there has been a steady increase. We now have six tables outside. Obviously weekends now are great. Weve worked out the kinks and we were able to figure out our employees. We dont really know what normal is. This is probably better than last year because of the problems with the (Chatham Fish Pier observation) deck. Im not sure if phase three of the reopening plan will be a positive or a negative for us. I know that many people are eager to sit in a restaurant and have dinner and a glass of wine, but we are here in this beautiful location, were happy with the local support weve experienced, and theres always next year.