While it hasn’t been easy, Marcel and his wife Laurie have spent the past 18 months trying to make lemonade from some of the worst lemons life has ever thrown at them. “We became a take-out company,” he says. “With no eat- in service allowed, and no big events, it was the only option we really had.” They started off with two daily specials, then eventually moved into menu options, drink specials and later table service at their newly built street patio. He updated his kitchen for smaller portion sizes, and added a new bar at the front of Carriage Hall to better service the patio. “It was so weird to walk into the kitchen and say, ‘Okay guys, I need two porkchops. No, not 200. Just two,’” he laughs. It was a massive culture shift, but Marcel and Laurie were determined to make it work. Then there were the sandwiches. For nine weeks, the staff at Chrissy’s made 300 sandwiches twice a day, and delivered them to a job site in Nanticoke. It was the largest contract they’d ever had. That job, combined with the fact that they owned their own building, helped the business weather the storm. And of course, many individuals in the community stepped up as well— making a point to order lunch, or pick up dinner to help carry them through. From salon to cheese shop Across the street at Hue Salon, things were less rosy. Like many business owners, Tracy Helyar
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