BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia’s Phase One reopening came at a very fortuitous time for Blacksburg’s restaurants.
Eateries celebrated both the return of dine-in patio service and Virginia Tech’s graduation on Friday.
“We just weren’t sure when we would be open again,” said Grayson Lucas, the general manager of downtown Blacksburg restaurant The Cellar. “We’re just excited.”
Both The Cellar and its neighboring restaurant, Sharkey’s, had capacity crowds on their patios for lunch on Friday.
Lucas said some patrons literally waited at the door for the restaurant to open. He believes the restored option to dine outside gives restaurants a new sense of purpose.
“We can give them a sense of community, a place where they can communicate again," Lucas said. "It’s somewhere they can feel safe and eat out. I think people just miss the socializing.”
Both restaurants took reservations for dinner Friday night.