Gay Street Open-Air Dining A Late Summer Success

WEST CHESTER, PA — Open-Air dining in West Chester Borough made possible by the closure of Gay Street to traffic has salvaged restaurant and shop businesses for now.

Late summer was a success once Mayor Dianne Herrin was able to maneuver necesssary approvals to shut down the state road that runs through downtown West Chester, for an Aug. 3 opening of the Gay Street Open-Air Marketplace.

Gay Street, closed off by barriers between Matlack and Darlington streets, was transformed into an large outdoor dining area, to assist restaurants and retail to continue business while also complying with Pennsylvania's health department social distancing guidelines.

Servers Kaitlyn Burke and Tara McKissick stood outside Saloon 151 at 5:30 p.m. on a weeknight, awaiting business. They said business is great sometimes, not so great other times, and that has mostly depended on the weather. They've been glad there's been a way to stay open, but they are concerned about how much business Saloon 151 will be able to do once the weather turns cold and inside capacity is limited to 50 percent.

"Our inside dining space is pretty small," said Burke. "At 50 percent of that, we won't have much business if people can't be outside."

For now, businesses were doing their best, and workers were happy the borough had made a way to keep downtown open. Restaurants were open, staffed, and serving, as pedestrians walked Gay Street.

The mayor continually reminded residents that mask-wearing and other measures made it possible to stay open. A walk through the marketplace shows businesses and customers are complying. Hand-sanitizing stations and safety signage requiring mask-wearing are everywhere.

"We must wear masks because we care for each other here in our great town, and because wearing masks means we stay open for business!" Herrin said in August.

Related story can be found here.