Pandemic Leads Neighbors To Bond With Weekly Restaurant Takeout
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Last spring, a small group of neighbors in Bloomington decided they wanted to do what they could to support local restaurants. From there, the interest grew, and the results are better than they ever expected.
It's Wednesday night, and that means fun is brewing on Walton Pond Circle. Neighbors emerge this time of the week to do something rare: socialize, and order takeout as a group from local eateries.
The new neighborhood tradition between nine families started in April, and has since expanded. Each family rotates and picks a restaurant. They all ate outside at a distance during the summer, but then moved things indoors towards the end of October. The family in charge each week picks up the food and drops it off door to door.
It is a way to support local business, which John O'Connell appreciates. He's the general manager of Fireside Foundry restaurant.
"When we get big orders like that, everybody gets excited, from our wait staff to the kitchen," O'Connell said.
And it's also a way to support each other.
"It's just a great communal experience to have," neighbor Lynn Mulcahy said. "It's made our neighborhood a lot closer."
In a time when our neighbors can feel miles apart, and the world is a tough place to connect, these neighbors are making it happen -- and are closer than ever.
"Coming together when you can't be together, that's the coolest thing," neighbor Gabriela Sikich said. "It's been magical."
They hope their story will inspire other blocks to do something similar.