Will County Gazette

Sizzles in Lockport has joined a growing list of restaurants staying open despite Gov. Pritzker’s orders to limit business operations in the latest lockdown.

Pritzker ordered restaurants in several regions across the state to halt their dining services, once again, a measure that previously led to widespread closures of thousands of restaurants across the state.

In an attempt to keep their businesses afloat, a growing number of restaurants have chosen to defy the governor’s orders.

| Morguefile.com

Mervet Nolte, owner of Sizzles in Lockport, said her restaurant has taken a major hit since the COVID regulations were enforced.

“I am a single-handed owner, I have a very small staff,” Nolte told Will County Gazette. 

“Somehow, I am still holding all of this together by adapting and shifting how we operated, and utilizing a pandemic plan I created the day before our first lockdown happened in March,” said Nolte.

Nolte said she did work to the restaurant to adapt to Covid, including adding a carry-out window and complied with all other guidelines, but it wasn't enough.

“This has been quite an emotional time. I am watching my entire industry crumble around me. Prices are spiking due to shifts in demand on products, or products just aren't available at all,” said Nolte.

The restrictions placed on businesses by Pritzker’s executive orders have resulted in at least 3,800 small businesses across the state closing their doors permanently, placing Illinois in the top five states for permanent business closures caused by COVID regulations.

The most recent closure mandate is expected to affect even more businesses. 

According to Illinois Policy, an estimated 5,000 to 21,700 food services business will be forced to shut down permanently. 

The closure of restaurants has a greater impact on households than most people realize," said Nolte, “[Restaurants] pretty much control the cost of commodities with the volume of our purchases."

"Paying $5 for a head of iceberg lettuce will become a household norm without places like mine buying to prevent the waste that drives up the price,” said Nolte.

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