Solano County Businesses Rush To Reopen After State Lifts Stay-At-Home Order
VACAVILLE (CBS13) — Businesses scrambled to open their doors after the California Department of Public Health decided to lift the stay-at-home order across the state Monday.
"I literally found out we were opening an hour ago," said Jyka Carreon.
Carreon was one of a handful who arrived early at Los Reyes Restaurante in Vacaville after speaking with her boss about the state's decision to lift the stay-at-home order.
"He was like, 'Go get started. Call everybody up. Let's open up!'" Carreon said.
Angel Saucedo was asleep. "So she texted me and was like 'Oh can you come in today?' And I was like, 'Oh yeah!'" Saucedo said.
Saucedo one of the first in the door, grateful to get back to work.
"A lot of places they just laid everyone off. Here they have communicated to us that they are going to do their best to give us the amount of hours that they can," she said.
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All 75 employees have been on reduced hours since early December when the state shut down outdoor operations due to a spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. It was a move that also impacted nearby gym, Active Lifestyles, which is managed by Mary Portwood-Sturgis.
"As rehab specialists, we are considered essential. So me as a clinician, I was open. But it was one by one and we had to have hours in between clients. It was difficult," she said.
After a social media blast and some emails, folks were hitting the weights within hours of the announcement.
"It's back on. Personal training is back on, classes are back on. We are so excited," Portwood-Sturgis said.
Because of her status as a physical training and rehab facility, clients can return indoors. But for most gyms, a return to the purple tier means outdoor operations only.
Across downtown, you could feel the excitement
"To have a full staff and everybody back is going to be awesome. It's going to be fun!" said Saucedo.
This reopening a sign of the times during the pandemic. Carreon hopes it will be the last
"We will just have to see. But we will keep doing the hard work making sure people are keeping distanced and making sure everyone is safe," Carreon said.