CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - Lights out, shades drawn, kitchens closed.
With the winter season rapidly approaching and an expected surge in coronavirus cases on the way, a growing number of restaurants in the Bay State are going into hibernation until the spring.
“We have no holiday parties, there are no weddings, there’s no gatherings, there’s no after work drinks,” said Steve Postal, owner of the Commonwealth restaurant in Cambridge. “We need to go to sleep for the winter.”
Postal said he was able to utilize outdoor dining space over the summer but doesn’t think it makes sense to continue serving outside in the cold weather.
“It’s cold, it’s rainy, it’s miserable. We live in New England,” Postal explained. “We really didn’t have a choice.”
A message posted on the door of the Commonwealth reads, “Thank you Kendall Square and all of our guests for your continued support. We will be back next year to serve up your favorite food.”
Grand Tour on Newbury Street in Boston is also shutting down its operations until the warmer weather returns because of occupancy restrictions and social distancing guidelines.
“It’s cozy, it’s tight, you would be shoulder-to-shoulder,” owner Michael Serpa said. “It’s kind of this little bustling space and that is exactly the opposite of what people want right now.”
Serpa said he plans to shift his staff to Atlantico, a larger tapas restaurant opening on Harrison Avenue next week.
The Emory on Beacon Street is also taking a hiatus.
When winter ultimately comes and goes, Postal said he expects a “slow, methodical climb back up” for the restaurant business.
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