![Early in the pandemic, EDWINS Restaurant in Shaker Square set up a portable outdoor grill. [Annie Wu / ideastream]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2e05f44/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2250+0+0/resize/840x630!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F11%2F17%2FEdwins%20restaurant.jpg)
Cleveland restaurant owners are concerned a new shutdown order could come for the dining industry and are asking Gov. Mike DeWine to hold off on such a move, even as the governor on Tuesday issued a curfew which will require businesses to close or halt service from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting Thursday.
The #WeCantClose initiative includes nearly 30 Cleveland-area restaurants that have agreed to follow health and safety guidelines to protect customers and staff during the pandemic. Participating restaurants are asking that those in compliance with state mandates and without citations for violating health orders should be allowed to remain open.
A majority of restaurant owners are following state guidelines and safety measures, said Brandon Chrostowski, founder and CEO of EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute in Shaker Square. The entire industry shouldn鈥檛 be punished for the individual facilities that aren鈥檛 following the rules, he said.
鈥淐onsumers need to know there is a self-policing going on within our industry,鈥� Chrostowski said. 鈥淭here are enough of us who are standing up and do it the right way.鈥�
Ten local restaurants were cited by the City of Cleveland this weekend for violating current mandates and regulations. Restaurants that don鈥檛 follow regulations won鈥檛 be able to participate in the #WeCantClose effort, Chrostowski said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e holding our pledgers accountable,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you have a citation, you鈥檙e not on our island.鈥�
The #WeCantClose initiative helps local restaurants communicate with one another on how best to handle the unique challenges and financial strain posed by the pandemic, Chrostowski said. The service industry has already been hit hard by initial shutdowns and restrictions, he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still staying alive, but another closure, obviously, would rattle all that,鈥� Chrostowski said.
Early closure mandates also have an unfair impact on bars and late-night eateries, he said.
鈥淓veryone鈥檚 behind this effort, pledging to do things safely, to do things properly so we can still remain open and conduct our business,鈥� he said.
