An iconic Connecticut pizza shop is the first business to get a permit from the state allowing it to add outdoor seating as part of a plan to aid businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Ned Lamont said the Connecticut Department of Transportation has approved a permit allowing Mystic Pizza to add tables in the front of the building near the doorways and on the sidewalk.
Under the state’s first phase of reopening, restaurants that were previously limited to take-out and delivery only were permitted to begin serving diners outdoors.
Lamont recently signed an executive order to help businesses that don’t have outdoor space available by creating a process that allows them to get permission to use sidewalks and other areas in the state’s right-of-way.
Mystic Pizza has become a tourist attraction in Connecticut since Julia Roberts starred in the movie about the lives of three waitresses working at the small-town pizza parlor.
As of Sunday, there were 40,468 coronavirus cases in Connecticut. The state reported 3,693 deaths, up 18 from Saturday.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)