Portage County restaurants make adjustments, some close, due to rise in COVID-19 cases

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) - Some restaurants are closing not because of COVID-19 cases, but because of the threat of them. Restaurants in Portage County are taking notice and making adjustments.

At Two Lakes Supper Club in Almond, they’ve made a big adjustment.

“You’re playing that game of risk and reward. And for us, it just isn’t worth it,” Jeff Jagielo, owner of the supper club, said.

Until October 31, which is the end of their season, the 71-year-old supper club in Almond will be open for take-out only.

“One person could bring in a virus. And we have older clientele and we have a really good customer base. That we don’t want to do that to them,” Jagielo explained.

It was a decision he didn’t take lightly---but one Jagielo saw as the obvious one. Especially with cases rising outside of the restaurant.

“We were doing the best we could. And we noticed the public was becoming kind of careless and coming out in greater numbers,” Jagielo explained.

While some other restaurants in Stevens Point haven’t jumped to that decision, one had a close call.

“You only close as a last resort, so it feels like you failed, is what it ends up feeling like," Mike Mitchell, the owner of Hilltop Pub and Grill, said about his employees testing positive for COVID-19.

Hilltop Pub and Grill had to close two weeks ago because two employees tested positive, leaving numerous other employees quarantined and the restaurant too short-staffed.. While Mitchell second-guessed himself for while, he came to a sobering conclusion.

“There’s so many variables associated with this pandemic, that there are just too many things out of our control,” Mitchell explained.

That’s why mask-wearing, which was strongly encouraged in the restaurant just a week ago, is now required any time you aren’t eating or drinking. That includes trips to the bathrooms, entering or leaving the restaurant, and going to the bar to order a drink.

“We’re taking it as seriously as we can,” Mitchell said.

Travelling back to Two Lakes, even with the adjustments, Jagielo believes business will be fine. Just like it was in March and April.

“We do have a great customer base and cars will be lined up usually to be picking up food,” Jagielo said with a smile.

In Wausau, both the Trail’s End Lodge and the Sconni’s Alehouse and Eatery announced via Facebook that they were closing temporarily to keep their employees and customers safe.

While Trail’s End Lodge declined to comment further, they were clear that they wanted to ensure that safety during the surge in COVID-19 cases.

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