TACOMA, Wash. — Two staple restaurants in Tacoma are closing due to hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Pacific Grill, once a cornerstone of Tacoma's downtown revitalization, is now clad in plywood.
In a letter on the restaurant's website, head chef and owner Gordon Naccarato wrote the award-winning restaurant is closing after 15 successful years, blaming the pandemic for the end of its run.
"Know that this story is being played out across the country where 100,000 small businesses like ours will permanently close," Naccarato wrote.
Two blocks away, it's a similar story at The Swiss Restaurant and Pub - a restaurant and music venue that has been a part of Tacoma for nearly 30 years.
Owners Jack and Carole Ann McQuade posted a letter on the pub's website saying their decision to close is the result of many different factors and many sleepless nights. They went on to say, "we know that this is the right decision given the current and unforeseeable future of our industry."
The closures certainly do not forecast positive news for the local restaurant industry. As businesses plan for more take out and lower capacity for an undetermined amount of time, COVID-19's impact on the future is as murky as ever.
One thing is clear, and it's the message Naccarato chose to end his online announcement with.
"P.S. It is incredibly important in these perilous times that we support small businesses in our community if they are to survive."