Atlanta restaurant owner explains why she won’t reopen Monday

ATLANTA — Many restaurant owners are split over whether or not to open their dining rooms tomorrow.

Channel 2′s Audrey Washington talked to one owner who has a lot of concerns.

Buttermilk Kitchen in northeast Atlanta is still offering take-out meals, but as far as customers being allowed back inside to sit down for a meal, owner Suzanne Vizethann said her restaurant will not be one of them.

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“We don’t feel safe, and number one is safety," Vizethann said. "We have a very fast-paced kitchen. For us to stop and retrain everybody, we don’t feel like it’s safe.”

Vizethann said she's been in business for seven years and on the average Sunday, there would be a line out the door.

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The pandemic changed all of that.

Vizethann said she was forced to furlough half of her staff and shut down dine-in services

To survive, the restaurant offers pickup service. Vizethann said she and her staff just had that pickup system in place when Gov. Brian Kemp announced the partial reopening of Georgia.

Vizethann said she may be able to reopen in a month, but that’s a very strong maybe. She first wants to see what the new restrictions will be.

?A dress rehearsal for the entire country?: Some Atlanta restaurants set to reopen Monday On Friday, Gov. Brian Kemp's controversial first step to get Georgians back to work was met with protests, but for some, a welcome sense of normalcy.

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