HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Local restaurants, breweries, cafes and coffee shops are finding creative ways to keep business running amid statewide closures due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Farmhaus Cider Co. ran what they called a "drive-thru cidery" on Saturday, in which customers waited in line in their cars for some of the Hudsonville company's cider.
John Behrens, the owner of Farmhaus, said the support from people in West Michigan means the world to him.
"It means we are able to make payroll for a couple more weeks and avoid laying people off. It also shows the need to get creative in this industry at this time, while still protecting people's health," he said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered all of Michigan's food service establishments to close for in-person dining on Monday. Many restaurants are now relying on takeout orders to try to stay afloat, and Behrens said the idea of a pop-up drive thru a couple of weeks ago would have been unthinkable.
Behrens said they didn't do anything special to advertise the pop-up shop, just posted the event on Facebook. But he said the "great people" of West Michigan rallied together to show their support.
Farmhaus was open from 2-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and Behrens said there was an entire line of cars the whole time they were open. They also invited Righteous Cuisine Food Truck to join the pop-up shop to serve food.
Behrens said his advice for other business owners: get creative.
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