DETROIT (FOX 2) - On Monday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced restaurants can start to reopen at limited capacity next week for dine-in customers but some places are still choosing to stay closed.
Dennis Archer, Jr., owns Central Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Detroit. While many thought the reopening couldn't happen fast enough, Archer's in no hurry to reopen because he knows business wouldn't be busy enough around him.
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Some businesses opt to stay closed as Gov. Whitmer lifts dine-in restrictions
Even though they're allowed to reopen next week, some businesses are still opting to keep their doors closed.
He said he bought the location for a specific reason - that's where all the people were - but he believes at many of those businesses, people are getting accustomed to working from home and are staying there.
"I don't think they need to be back at 100% but what sold us in this location, we are in a Bedrock location, what sold us in this location was the fact, number one in the First National Building alone there were 4,000 folks that came to work on a daily basis and 4800 visitors," he said.
Even if things go "back to normal", he still expects business to decrease. Archer says even with 20% of people working at home it's a significant cut to his business. Will business owners try to renegotiate their lease with their landlord?
"That landlord is then going to have to take that other 80% space and they'll find other tenants," he said.
For now, he's trying to work with the city to expand outside seating to include the sidewalk and even possibly into the street, where cars currently park.
"Where is that point at which we can be profitable and operate as it relates to the number of people downtown? I don't have a crystal ball. But I know it's not on June 8th," Archer said.