Raleigh cafe continues to serve up sweet treats via walk-up window

Bittersweet owner Kim Hammer opens up about how COVID-19 has affected her cafe and grocery, Raleigh Provisions.

Posted 3:24 p.m. May 19, 2020 — Updated 3:24 p.m. May 19, 2020

Kathy Hanrahan, Out

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RALEIGH, N.C. — Things are pretty bittersweet lately for restaurant owner Kim Hammer.

As the mother of a high school junior, she wishes she could be touring colleges with her son, but that's not happening now due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I have two teenager and I'm watching them struggle on their own with sort of processing all of this," she said. "It's difficult as a mom."

The business owner is enjoying spending more time with her children.

"COVID-19 has kind of forced my two teenagers to have to spend time with me," Hammer says laughing though her eyes are starting to tear up.

Hammer is also facing the reality of owning two downtown Raleigh businesses affected by the pandemic - Bittersweet cafe and Raleigh Provisions grocery.

Bittersweet has benefited from its coffee walk-up window, which has been a popular feature for years and even more so now due to the pandemic.

"That's really allowed us to architecturally be able to serve the public...coffee, pastries, bottles of wine and beer, cocktail mixes," Hammer said.

The window is open Tuesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Bittersweet is also continuing its theme days like Tiki Tuesday, which still features a special cocktail - only this time they can order the cocktail mix (minus the alcohol) to make at home. People can stay up to date on the daily specials at Bittersweet via its social media accounts.

Had the state legislature made the decision to allow to-go cocktail sales, Hammer said, that would have been a game-changer for her restaurant and others.

Lawmakers consider take-out mixed drink sales during pandemic

"Bars and restaurants cannot survive financially without getting money from our alcohol sales.," Hammer said. "Basically those of us that have remained open and are doing to-go business, for the most part, we're only doing about 15 to 20 percent of the level of business that we were doing before, and you can't pay rent with that."

Raleigh Provisions has leaned heavily into its online store, with options for people to do curbside pickup. In store, only two shoppers are allowed inside at a time. Hammer said there has been an increase in people ordering care packages for family members during the pandemic.

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