Our Journey with Corduroy and the Pandemic
It’s hard to believe it’s been two years but as we were living through it, I’m sure you felt the same as us…….. is this ever going to end?! When the first lockdown came into play, we ended up staying closed for six months. We thought it was best for our staff and community to just ride this thing out. We soon realized it was going to be a long haul before we’d be out of this mess and opened back up in the fall of 2020.
Things felt normal for a couple days before more lockdowns came into play……. all restaurants had to run at half capacity and close at 10pm. Ouch….. as you probably know, margins are TIGHT when it comes to operating a business so to cut our hours and capacity in half was a death sentence for many restaurants.
We pressed onwards only to receive blow after blow with how we could operate. We then started to ask questions. Can we see the data to support these measures? Can you explain why some businesses can operate and some can’t?
We never got any answers or the data to back up their decisions.
In the spring of 2021 we decided to take a stand. The B.C. government decided to completely close indoor dining… for two weeks, so they said. We knew this would be much longer. They also allowed restaurants to still operate their patios so what happened was big, chain establishments with deep pockets erecting massive tents in their parking lots in order to still operate at full capacity. Essentially, creating inside, outside.
Again, we asked for the data through multiple FOI requests, showing the apparent safety hazard status given to indoor dining. Nothing.
It was at this point that we peacefully protested the indoor dining ban and opened our doors. The restaurant filled for the entire weekend with people who were also at the end of their rope with the government overreach and manipulation.
This is maybe where you first came to know us as a video of our patrons yelling, “Get out! Get out! Get out!” made waves across the internet.
We were eventually ordered closed, but quickly got back to regular operations after providing a covid safety plan and the indoor dining ban being lifted.
Fast forward to August 2021 with the vax passport system being announced of it’s implementation for September.
It was always a no for us. We would NEVER be asking our guests for their medical status and there was no way we would be denying entry to those who chose not to receive a medical treatment.
Being one of the few restaurants that took this stance, we were lined up, around the block for a couple months. During this time, we continued to ask questions and send in FOI requests regarding the legality of these measures. We never got it. They always replied with, “We don’t have that data.”
Not too long after, it was confirmed by Vancouver health officer Paty Daly that there actually wasn’t many cases coming from restaurants, but that the passport system was implemented to increase uptake (aka coercion) for the vaccine program.
In November of 2021 they shut us down again but we pressed them to explain why fast food establishments could operate WITHOUT checking passports.
Realizing the hypocrisy in that, they agreed we could operate as long as we didn’t serve alcohol on premise.
We agreed knowing that people just needed a place to go where they would feel welcomed and not discriminated against.
Since the passports were lifted on April 8th, 2022, we are back to full service operations!
We couldn’t have done it without the support of our incredible customers near and far. We thank you and appreciate you all!!