CLEVELAND — Restaurant owners in Northeast Ohio are working together to survive the challenges COVID-19.

What You Need To Know

  • Restaurateurs started the #WeCantClose effort

  • The effort was created to encourage Governor DeWine not to close restaurants to deal with rising COVID cases

  • The effort still advocates for restaurants while finding ways to stay safe

  • Over 100 restaurateurs have joined the movement so far

“We’ve got a lot of work going on. That’s what it is; this is the chicken parmesan we make, and this is going out to 4,000 people.” 

Edwins founder and owner Brandon Chrostowski helps load up boxes of food to be delivered, in the snowy conditions, staying busy during a strange time. 

“Things have been going right? To say the least. We keep fighting. We keep, you know, moving along. One thing we can’t do is stop. Right? So, business has been up, up until November, mid November, and as soon as this, you know, 10 ‘o’clock curfew and this rise in COVID cases, you’ve seen a real dramatic slow in business.” 

Chrostowski is one of the founding members of the #WeCantClose effort started by restaurateurs to advocate to stay open while staying safe. 

Danielle Ruppert, general manager of The Standard in Cleveland, joined the cause while working to keep the restaurant going. 

“We’ve seen a drop about 65%. So, it’s been even more challenging. You know, you always think you’re putting in a lot of hours already at work, but we have definitely been working even harder to keep the doors open.” 

Over 100 restaurateurs have joined the movement so far, as Ruppert says many owners are just trying to keep the lights on with so much uncertainty. 

“Cleveland has started to make this great revival again, and now we’re starting to see businesses close. So, we’re almost taking like five steps back.” 

Back at Edwin’s, Chrostowski says while #WeCantClose was able to help avoid another closing of restaurants, the effort can still unify restaurants to fight for one another through upcoming challenges. 

“This is a slugfest, you know. ... This isn’t just a moment. This isn’t just a spring. This is going to be months and months and months of how to be creative, how to change on a weekly basis, how to run efficient, but the one thing that hasn’t changed with any challenge is who we’re fighting for, right? This is fighting for real jobs. This is fighting for, you know, keeping someone’s family fed. This is fighting for ... keeping someone’s dream alive.”