(Clockwise) A team member at Ford’s Fish Shack packs up a to-go order; Staff at Scotto’s Rigatoni Grill in Brambleton take phone orders while wearing masks and gloves; a Scotto’s delivery driver heads out on another run.
J
onathan Ball had a big year The restaurant industry saw one of planned. He and his partners had the biggest impacts. Tens of thousands of just opened the One Loudoun restaurants across the country temporarily location of the restaurant brand closed as everyone tried to make sense of City Tap at the end of 2019, and the hot how to live in a pandemic. new restaurant was primed for growth. “It was clear this would be much more Even more exciting, Ball was going than a blip on the radar,” Ball said. The fallout JONATHAN BALL to open his own, separate restaurant was quick — it was literally sink or swim. upstairs — a classic American tavern unlike Many restaurants, including Ball’s City anything else in Ashburn. He was calling it the Lost Fox Tap, pivoted to a focus on carry-out food, family meals Hideaway and planned on opening it in early 2020. and delivery options. When they were allowed to And then the world turned upside down. welcome guests back in reduced numbers, few people “I first heard about the pandemic in mid-January,” wanted to be inside, so outdoor dining spaces were set Ball recalled. “At first it seemed like a far-off issue that up on sidewalks and in parking lots. Blue Ridge Grill in wouldn’t materially affect things here in the U.S. But Ashburn Village scrambled to build a new terrace by then the spread progressed.” its front door. Leesburg officials even closed off a main As everyone now knows, that spread continued, out street in the downtown to allow diners to eat outside. of control, across America and the world. Everyone’s Facebook groups popped up to help promote local lives were affected — from the tragedy of lost loved ones restaurants and encourage patrons to support them to lost jobs, lost graduation ceremonies, lost vacations through the crisis. As the year wore on, restaurants and lost time with family and friends. started adding “ghost kitchens” — entirely separate
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