Rocky Mount restaurant aims to keep food on the community table

Lou Reda came to Rocky Mount in 1997 to open the Outback Steakhouse.

Then, six years ago the Yonkers, N.Y., native decided to open his own restaurant - Lou Reda's: An American Table.

But on Thursday, the tables were empty; the dining room closed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"We've had to reevaluate our business and basically build a new business from scratch," Reda said of Gov. Roy Cooper's mandate last week to close all dine-in restaurant services.

Having never attracted a large take-out business, Reda has resorted to "old-school Guerilla marketing," like sending out 10,000 flyers to let people know the restaurant offers take-out.

Reda has gone from 40 to seven employees, with some only working a few hours.

"That's really been the most difficult part of it, but we tried to get everybody on an individual basis. What's best for them," he said.

"It's been OK. We've been able to ride it out with the skeleton staff that we have. I'm very optimistic we'll be able to ride it out."

Rachel Fellner, 23, said she is lucky to get 15 hours of work a week.

"This is my career. I'm a culinary graduate," she said.

Daniela Hernandez, 23, said she's getting between 15-20 hours a week.

"Well, I moved back in with my parents recently, so it kind of helps out," Hernandez said. "If I were still living on my own, I wouldn't be able to afford much."

Reda also owns gastropub Tap at 1918 at Rocky Mount Mills. He said all of its nearly 40 employees have been sent home.

After getting a discount from food suppliers, the business has also started to sell bags of frozen food for a dollar each to his employees.