JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. — Some businesses in Jackson, Wyandotte and Johnson counties were allowed to reopen Monday.
In Jackson County, child care services, non-emergency medical services, restaurants, retail and libraries can open but must follow social distancing guidelines.
Restaurants in Jackson County are allowed to offer dine-in services, but curbside and pick up are encouraged. Businesses with less than 10,000 square feet are limited to 25 percent occupancy based on fire and building codes.
But not all business owners are opening up their dining rooms just because they can.
Luke Salvatore, owner of Providence Pizzeria in Grandview, said he is not offering dine-in services yet.
"I think our posture is to stand back and see what other restaurants are doing and also try to get a feel for what people want to do," Salvatore said.
Salvatore is taking it slow and focusing on opening his patio seating this weekend.
"Then we'll start to add some tables inside, but with the limitations on capacity, it's not going to amount to that many people anyway," Salvatore said.
In Johnson County, restaurants can open starting Monday as long as they have tables at least six feet apart and seat no more than 10 people at one table.
Jodi Azebedo, district manager of Jason's Deli in Overland Park, said her business laid out social distance markers on the floor for people waiting in line, placed plenty of hand sanitizer around the building and blocked off tables to maintain social distancing.
Azebedo said she wasn't sure what to expect when opening up the doors for the first time since closing.
"It's been a little crazy, but a good crazy," she said. "We miss our customers, and we just want to give them the feeling that it's safe to come here."
The first customers to sit inside came to support the restaurant's fundraiser for fallen Overland Park Officer Mike Mosher.
"We thought that was a good tribute," Jody Moler said. "We missed it last night so we wanted to do it today."
The business is giving customers the option to donate 25 percent of their order total to Mosher's family.
"This community has helped us survive, and we want to give back," Azebedo said. "When something like this happens we have to come together as a community no matter if we're struggling or not, it's just the right thing to do."
In Wyandotte County, restaurants are not allowed to provide dine-on services yet. The county will allow it at 25 percent occupancy in its next reopening phase.
