Photo by Deb Gau The banquet room at Bello Cucina in Marshall normally holds 48 people, said manager Sarah Marczak. However, with social distancing requirements tables have been spaced far apart. Not being able to hold special events has hurt restaurants and other venues. Marczak said looser restrictions on receptions and social gatherings is a positive step.

MARSHALL — Looser COVID-19 restrictions are on the way for Minnesota businesses and social gatherings. But while that’s good news for local bars and restaurants, some are still left wondering when they’ll be able to go back to normal.

“We still need a plan. Our restaurants and event places need to know when they can be open 100%,” Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce President Brad Gruhot said Friday.

Not being able to hold larger meetings and special events has hurt business, said Sarah Marczak, manager of Bello Cucina in Marshall. It’s especially hard being close to states with fewer restrictions. “I’ve lost weddings to South Dakota,” Marczak said.

Gov. Tim Walz announced Friday that Minnesota would be turning the dial back on some COVID restrictions, starting at noon on Monday. The changes will increase capacity at bars and restaurants, allow for larger social gatherings and events, and lift occupancy limits for salons and worship services. In a press conference Friday morning, Walz said Minnesota is seeing “the beginning of the end” of the pandemic. The decision to loosen some of the restrictions came as Minnesota continues to make progress on distributing vaccines and slowing the spread of COVID-19, he said. Around 1.2 million Minnesotans have received a COVID-19 vaccination, and 40,000 shots a day are being administered.

“This is the final push down the end,” Walz said of the drive to vaccinate Minnesotans. “At some point in time here, we’ll have supply where demand will start to balance out. Some of you I know are still waiting in line. Please be patient, it’s going to be weeks not months.”

Walz said starting Monday, there will be no occupancy limits on salons, barber shops and religious services, although social distancing and masks will still be required. Social gatherings can have up to 50 people outdoors or 15 people indoors. Gyms, fitness centers and pools can open at 50% capacity, with social distancing and masks required.

Other restrictions being loosened affect bars and restaurants, entertainment venues, and gatherings like receptions. Event venues and receptions can have a maximum of 250 people, and starting April 1, larger venues like sports stadiums will be able to add extra capacity. Starting Monday bars and restaurants will be able to increase their capacity to 75% or a maximum of 250 people, and up to four people will be able to sit together at a bar. Outdoor restaurant seating will have no percentage limits on capacity, but groups will have to stay six feet apart.

Some local bars and restaurants said the new 75% occupancy rule doesn’t necessarily change much for them.

“For the most part, it’s not a huge change for bars,” said Dan Fosvick, owner of Fuzzy’s in Marshall. With social distancing requirements still in place, there might not be room to bring back many more tables in his business, he said. Fosvick said he had been hoping there would be more restrictions lifted.

Shauna Bjorklund, manager of the Gambler in Marshall, said the bar was taking the changing restrictions as they came. “We’ve just been following the guidance as it’s been coming out.”

Marczak said the difficult thing for Bello Cucina has been not being able to host a lot of special events due to gathering limits. Some local organizations have started holding lunch meetings at the restaurant again, but with social distancing, the banquet room’s seating capacity is smaller, she said.

It will be positive for receptions to be able go up to 250 people again, she said. It will help both the restaurant and brides making wedding plans.

Beyond being able to hold special events, Marczak said, “We need business travel to come back.” Visitors to Marshall help draw business to restaurants like Bello Cucina.

Gruhot said the lifted restrictions the governor announced were “good, not great.” There was still no solid timeline to return businesses to normal, which is concerning for businesses like event venues that are trying to make booking plans. And while it was good to see increased occupancy in restaurants and the ability to seat parties of four at a bar, bars and restaurants still have to close at 11 p.m., he said. Gruhot said the Marshall Area Chamber is joining in with the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s efforts calling for a plan to get Minnesota fully back to business.

Walz announces major rollback of COVID-19 restrictions

• Restaurant capacity moved to 75 percent with bar seating allowed for groups of four beginning at noon on Monday, but 11 p.m. closing still in place

• Workers previously required to work from home may return to work in person April 15. Remote work is “strongly encouraged”

• Capacity limits on places of worship are lifted with social distancing and masking

• Household gathering of 50 permitted outdoors and 15 indoors with no limit on number of households at noon on Monday

• Gym capacity moved to 50 percent at noon on Monday

• Capacity limits at salons and personal services are removed with social distancing and masking beginning at noon on Monday

• Indoor events and entertainment at noon on Monday can be open at 50 percent capacity, no more than 250 people. • • On April 1, venues with occupant capacity greater than 500 may increase capacity per state guidelines.

• Outdoor events and entertainment at noon on Monday can be open at 50 percent capacity, no more than 250 people. • On April 1, 2021, venues with occupant capacity greater than 500 may increase capacity per state guidelines.