San Luis Obispo County now in ‘Orange Tier,’ but what does that mean for restaurant owners?

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – San Luis Obispo County is now in the even less-restrictive Orange Tier of the state's reopening plan for the first time.

Some business owners are excited to finally move forward. 

New SLO restaurant Park 1039 says the Orange Tier arrived at the right time. Its grand opening was just 7 weeks ago.

“Now that things are getting better and better, you can see more people are more comfortable to come out,” said Park 1039 Owner Steve Goodale.

Indoor facilities can now operate at a higher capacity, for example restaurants are now at 50 percent.

“This is now allowing us to more confidently progress to a full expansion of our program,” said Goodale. “We have several facets here. There is a marketplace, we are a gourmet food – cheese, wine, charcuterie market.”

Gyms and fitness centers like the Yoga Shack in Nipomo will operate at 25% capacity indoors, but co-owner Thomas Anderson said that's not enough.

“We went from zero, to ten to 25, but when are we going to get to 100 percent,” asked Anderson. 

Anderson said his business has been staying afloat, but still feels for business owners who had to close down permanently.

"Business that has gone under, went under, not because of this virus,” said Anderson. “It went under because of a government mandate that deemed them non-essential and left them to die on the vine."

Now that the county is in the Orange Tier, business owners hope the COVID-19 case rates keep improving.

Both Goodale and Anderson are happy to see progress, but say it's time to continue pushing forward.

“Congratulations SLO, well done. Let’s keep fighting the fight,” said Goodale.

“It’s time to open up, this state, the 5th largest economy in the world, full throttle,” said Anderson. 

For more information on SLO County and the Orange Tier, click here.