The Churchill will close indefinitely after another spike in COVID-19 cases in Arizona.
Kell Duncan, managing partner of the food hall, announced on the company’s social media sites that the business will indefinitely close its doors for the second time in three months. Duncan remains optimistic that the restaurant will eventually open after pandemic cases begin to decline.
“We will open back up again, we just don’t know when that’s going to be,” Duncan said.
The Churchill reopened on May 22, after the state-mandated order was lifted, but Duncan said it was too much of a risk for the 10 small businesses in The Churchill to continue with reduced operations.
“There’s a lot of things you’re battling, as a business owner, to try and make the best decision with the information you have at the time,” Duncan said.
He said small local farms took an economic hit after many area restaurants closed.
The Churchill and Sun Produce Co-op, along with local chefs teamed up to make small, medium and large recipe boxes loaded with local produce.
He said this Community Supported Agriculture weekly curbside pick-up will continue to operate despite the second closure.
The boxes range in price up to $40, and while the small and medium boxes benefit the employees at The Churchill, the large boxes benefit the chef who designed them.
“I think it’s a program we’d like to actually carry through forever,” Duncan said. “The response to it has been very good.”
The Churchill is also considering starting a grab-and-go beverage program of beers and cocktails in the coming weeks.
Duncan is also a member of the Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation, which recently announced that it is suspending operations, including First Friday, for the summer.
“This summer, we will be taking time to pause our regular virtual and in-person activities, such as the First Friday events, to recenter as a team,” according to an update on the organization’s website.
Contact the reporter at jorteg23@asu.edu
