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Local restaurants/City come together for outdoor dining efforts

On July 1, California Governor Gavin Newsom rolled back Kern County's re-opening by ordering all restaurants to close indoor dining. This move was not as simple as expected given the reality that many employees just recently returned to work following the March-mandated shutdown.

As a result of this, and the reality that the summer weather in Tehachapi is far more conducive to outdoor dining than the weather during March's first shutdown, restaurateurs in Tehachapi went to work looking for solutions to keep employees working and serve outdoor diners.

Outdoor dining areas popped up around most local restaurants. Some sought input from the City of Tehachapi, although the formal outdoor dining permit process was waived as business owners seek to survive. Restaurants like Gracian's, Kelcy's, Henry's Café, Jake's Steakhouse and others built stand-alone facilities to serve customers outdoors, while others like Ichiban, Big Papa's, Don Perico, Veritas and others utilized private parking areas or walkways near their buildings for outdoor seating.

Recognizing not all restaurants have the physical outdoor space needed for dining, especially those downtown, the City of Tehachapi created a social media promotional initiative that mapped out local public spaces (Railroad Park, The Train Depot, Freedom Plaza, Centennial Plaza) and reminded residents of the tables available and walkable restaurants nearby. In addition, the City purchased and installed over a dozen umbrellas at three locations to increase the amount of available shade for those carrying meals out from local establishments.

A complete list of outdoor eating locations along with updated restaurant outdoor dining details can be found at http://www.liveuptehachapi.com/437/COVID-19-Resources.

Panda Express begins construction in Tehachapi

As anticipated, Panda Restaurant Group received permits from the City of Tehachapi and have started construction on a new Panda Express located on Tucker Rd. in the Walmart development. The restaurant is hoping for a late 2020 opening.

Businesses in the news:

Greenbriar Executes a Master Sales and Marketing Agreement with Keller Williams-Paul Morris Forward Living Inc. See page 11 for more information.

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For more Economic Development News visit http://www.liveuptehachapi.com/303/Economic-Development-News.