Tacoma Restaurateurs Sound Off About the Effect of the Pandemic (and How You Can Help)

On March 16, Gov. Jay Inslee issued stay-at-home orders for the state, and restaurants were faced with a brutal decision: shut their doors entirely, in an effort to wait out the quarantine, or adapt to limited hours based entirely around a takeout model. In the face of a sea of uncertainty, restaurants in Tacoma reacted in a multitude of ways, striving to find a plan that would help them weather the storm and be able to reopen when normalcy returns.

Recently, Pierce County was given permission to enter Phase 2, allowing restaurants to open back up for limited seating and with a whole slew of safety guidelines. In the days leading up to Phase 2, we spoke with three Tacoma restaurant owners about how they’ve handled the past three months, and their plans for the future.

Kevin McGlocklin, owner of Bluebeard Coffee Roasters, spent a week after the stay-at-home orders testing the waters with takeout coffee. He quickly realized, though, that there were inadequate safety measures in place to keep his staff safe, so he discontinued takeout.

“I wrote to Gov. Jay Inslee and said that we needed to shut the state down for a while, and kind of laid out my thinking,” says McGlocklin. “That was also my public statement on what I thought the business community needed to do, which -- at the time, I thought -- was to shut it down for eight weeks, and turn it back on at some point. You might see a slight rise [in cases], and you might have to do this again and again, until there’s a vaccine.”

In order to stay productive and above water, as well as keep on as many staff members as possible, McGlocklin pivoted Bluebeard toward online orders of their whole beans. Bluebeard also implemented a subscription service, which they had been in talks of starting for some time. It took until the end of May for McGlocklin to feel comfortable enough to open Bluebeard for takeout, where they offer most of their normal menu (minus the more time-consuming coffee drinks) and a modified selection of pastries.

Though we’ve entered Phase 2, Bluebeard remains exclusively open for takeout.

“We’ve seen a lot of people reopen, or stay open, locally, and so once we reopened we wanted to stay open,” says McGlocklin. “We wanted to take the time and make sure people aren’t in danger, and to be able to support them, and not rush it.”

A few months before the stay-at-home orders came down, 3UILT Tacoma had undergone a change in management, with Anna Gonzales taking the helm. They had been reestablishing themselves and building up more momentum after that change, so the lockdown couldn’t have come at a more inopportune time. Gonzales was initially unsure of how to proceed, but when 7 Seas Brewing (located in the same building as 3UILT) decided to open for takeout on Thursdays, 3UILT followed suit, offering a limited menu featuring favorites like their sandwiches and oysters.

Eventually, 3UILT received the PPP loan for small businesses, which enabled them to hire back more of their staff; this, coupled with reaching Phase 2, allowed them to open back up to five days a week, though they’re still not a full-service restaurant. They allow for pickups and takeaway, and will allow those seated in the dining room between 3UILT and 7 Seas to enjoy their food inside, but precautions are still being taken, but 3UILT is far from returning to business as usual.

“Our company is in no rush to have things go back to normal,” says Gonzales, “because we know it’s not a normal time right now.”

“We have the executive chef from Pacific Grill and the executive chef from catering working together, coming up with menus and ideas from Pacific Grill’s repertoire that we can produce simply and easily transport,” says Naccarato. “I’m not such a huge fan of to-go, in general, because when you come to a restaurant like Pacific Grill, you’re going for the experience as much as you’re going for wonderful food and cocktails. When you put the food in a box, it’s a different experience. … We got good feedback, because we followed up with every single guest -- since they ordered online, we were able to contact every one of them.”

As we settle into the Wild West of Phase 2, Naccarato has remained steadfast in his decision to proceed with caution, announcing that Pacific Grill will continue to operate as a to-go restaurant until we reach a more stable phase in the future.

Though all of the restaurant owners have expressed surprise and relief in how Tacomans have continued to patronize their establishments over the past few months, they are far from being out of the woods: they need your continued support to help them get out in one piece on the other side.

For all of your coffee and pastry needs, Bluebeard is open daily for takeout from 8am-4pm. You can order online or sign up for their subscription service at bluebeardcoffee.com.

3UILT Tacoma continues to add back items to its menu, including keto-friendly offerings, and are open for takeout and pickup Wednesdays through Sundays, from 12pm-8pm. Take a gander at their menu and order online at 3uilt.com.

Pacific Grill’s ever-changing menu of pickup family meals -- from roasted chicken, to smoked brisket, to tantalizing steaks, and all of the sides -- can be found and ordered at pacificgrillcatering.com/store/catering. Pickups can be scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays, 3:30pm-6pm.