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Columbia Restaurant ready to open
Charley Belcher reports
SARASOTA, Fla. - You can now dine-in and have your 1905 Salad too.
Columbia Restaurant's location along St. Armand's Circle is the first to open. On Monday morning, a "We missed you" sign sat at the Sarasota restaurant's entrance. The Sarasota location was Columbia's first expansion when it opened in 1959. Today, it is Sarasota's oldest restaurant.
The Columbia location inside the Tampa Bay History Center will open Wednesday, May 20. The original Ybor City location opens Thursday, May 21. The location in Clearwater Beach will also open Thursday.
A set of new rules will be on display in the Columbia Restaurant:
- We're taking our employees' temperatures daily
- Anyone sick or with a high temperature is sent home
- Our capacity is limited by state guidelines
- Our menus are single-use and disposable
- We've discontinued tableside food and sangria preparation
- We'll provide individual condiments
- We're masking for your protection (and we're smiling behind them)
- More than ever, cleaning and sanitation are vital to us
They are asking customers to avoid sitting, standing or drinking at the bar and to respect social distancing guidelines. If you are sick, they ask that you stay home.
Earlier this month, Richard Gonzmart, whose family has owned the Columbia Restaurant since 1905, chose to remain closed when the governor gave the green light for restaurants' dining rooms were allowed to reopen at 25% capacity.
Now, restaurants can operate at 50% capacity within their indoor dining rooms.
Here are the dates for when Columbia Restaurant Group establishments will be opening:
Ulele: Wednesday, May 20
Columbia Cafe at the Tampa Bay History Center: Wednesday, May 20
Columbia in Clearwater Beach, Sand Key: Thursday, May 21
Goody Goody: Thursday, May 21
Columbia in Ybor City Historic District: Thursday, May 21
Columbia in St. Augustine Historic District: Monday, June 1
Columbia in Celebration, Orlando: Monday, June 1
For updates on Columbia Restaurant, head over to their website.