KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chicken and sushi — you might not think those two delicious things go together, but because of the coronavirus, they are in a unique way.
Brookside Poultry Co. has been located on 63rd Street in Kansas City, Missouri, for two years. Business has been going well, so the owners decided to expand to a new restaurant just down the street with a bigger kitchen.
Due to the stay-at-home order in place because of COVID-19, those plans have been put on hold.
"A small space is what you want to be out of right now. Big space, more people in the space. So yeah, it's delayed everything and now we're sitting here for a little bit," said Charles d'Ablaing, owner of Brookside Poultry Co.
The restaurant's current space, which they're now staying in for the time being, had already been rented out to d'Ablaing's friend, a local sushi chef starting up Brookside Sushi.
"I said Salvador [Ortiz] isn't doing anything. Why don't we just set him up here? He can work for me essentially under my food license and we can make sushi," d'Ablaing said.
The new venture is keeping his business open and adding something new for takeout customers.
"You would be shocked at how excited people are," d'Ablaing said.
He said Brookside Poultry Co. is only down 10 percent in sales during a time in which small businesses and restaurants are struggling,
"I feel lucky on all accounts right now. It's kind of the silver lining of it is that I get to keep my staff employed, which is what I am worried about. genuinely," d'Ablaing said.
He said while chicken and sushi together may seem odd, it's turned out to be a perfect combination.
"They will walk over to my counter to get chicken and then walk over to Salvador to make some rolls," d'Ablaing said.
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