NORTH CANTON — An unusual social-distancing solution already is in place at the North Canton breakfast cafe Twisted Citrus, which will reopen for sit-down dining on May 21, as allowed by the state.
“I came up with the idea of clear vinyl shower-curtain liners as dividers between tables,” co-owner Kim Shapiro said. “They’re suspended from the ceiling with hooks and drop down to where the back of a chair would be.
“We can spray (the curtains) down with Lysol and COVID cleaner spray,” she said.
Stark County restaurants are preparing to reopen following Gov. Mike DeWine’s announcement Thursday that restaurants and bars can begin serving patrons on their outdoor patios and outside dining areas on May 15. Inside service, including for meals, will not be permitted until May 21, with virus precautions required such as six-foot social distancing between tables.
At Twisted Citrus, tables have been rearranged to face back to back, with the idea of limiting contact between parties. The new floor plan reduces seating capacity from 80 people to 55.
“It’s nice (Ohio is) letting restaurants be responsible enough to make decisions for themselves,” Shapiro said. “We are catering to the people who are comfortable to come out to a restaurant with precautions. We’re trying to make our guests know that we’ve done something different and that we care.
“We’re being as serious as we can about it but it’s still the hospitality business. We don’t want to make our guests feel like they’re on constant alert,” she said. “It’s a struggle.”
While Shapiro is hopeful that customers will return, she said, “I have no idea if people are going to run in when the doors open or if we’ll open to crickets.”
Kim Shapiro, co-owner of Twisted Citrus, is shown in her restaurant in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection.
https://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2020/05/web1_PHOTO____US-NEWS-STARK-COUNTY-RESTAURANT-INSTALLS-SHOWER-1-AK.jpgKim Shapiro, co-owner of Twisted Citrus, is shown in her restaurant in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection. CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel
Shower curtains are shown at Twisted Citrus in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection. (CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel)
https://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2020/05/web1_PHOTO____US-NEWS-STARK-COUNTY-RESTAURANT-INSTALLS-SHOWER-2-AK.jpgShower curtains are shown at Twisted Citrus in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection. (CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel)CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel
Shower curtains are shown at Twisted Citrus in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection. (CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel)
https://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2020/05/web1_PHOTO____US-NEWS-STARK-COUNTY-RESTAURANT-INSTALLS-SHOWER-4-AK.jpgShower curtains are shown at Twisted Citrus in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection. (CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel)CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel
Kim Shapiro, co-owner of Twisted Citrus, is shown in her restaurant in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection. (CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel)
https://www.limaohio.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2020/05/web1_PHOTO____US-NEWS-STARK-COUNTY-RESTAURANT-INSTALLS-SHOWER-3-AK.jpgKim Shapiro, co-owner of Twisted Citrus, is shown in her restaurant in North Canton on Thursday, May 7, 2020. In anticipation of restaurants reopening, the owners have reconfigured seating and hung clear plastic shower curtains between tables for protection. (CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel)CantonRep.com / Scott Heckel
