As have many Maine restaurants, Pat’s Pizza in Yarmouth has found that a surefire way to attract business during the coronavirus pandemic is to take the show outdoors.

Erect a giant, open tent, roll out a carpet of fake grass and plunk down tables and chairs amid raised planters. Overnight, there’s the Down East version of a German biergarten.

“Customers love it,” said John Kyle, whose family owns Pat’s locations in Yarmouth and Brunswick. “A lot of people prefer to eat outside. They feel more comfortable.”

The current public health guidance is that it’s harder to catch COVID-19 outdoors. That has businesses such as restaurants, gyms, day care centers, breweries and even manufacturers thinking about how to accommodate virus-wary visitors in the open air or in unenclosed tents where air can circulate. They’re following the lead of several Maine schools, which are planning to hold at least some classes outdoors or in open tents this fall, borrowing lessons learned from pandemics of the past century.

But with cooler weather on the horizon, business owners such as Kyle are trying to figure out how to keep their patrons comfortable outdoors. So Kyle and his son, Chris Kyle, have placed propane-fired patio heaters under the tent and fire pits on the adjacent open area.

Customers dine outside at Pat’s Pizza in Yarmouth recently. Propane heaters are set up to keep people warm as the weather gets colder. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

“Our goal is to keep it going as long as Mother Nature allows,” Chris Kyle said.

Making that strategy a success will require a change in both expectations and clothing. Mainers tend to think of themselves as winter people. But decades of indoor jobs, central heating and recreational screen time may have tempered the tolerance of many Maine residents for cold weather.

The pandemic could be an opportunity to revisit Mainers’ hardy heritage, according to Andy Shepard, general manager of the Saddleback Maine ski resort, if for no other reason than the mental health benefits of being outside during stressful times. A glance at the active, cold-weather cultures of Canada or northern Europe may be instructive, he said.

“We’re in a position now for people to embrace the outdoors,” said Shepard, who founded the Maine Winter Sports Center and is a former merchandise manager at L.L. Bean. “People are going to dress differently. People are going to wear hats. This is an opportunity for Maine to decide it wants to embrace the winter.”

At Saddleback, which is expanding under new ownership after being shut down for five years, heated tents will be used to augment the rebuilt lodge. Tents will be used for walk-up ticketing, a covered area to eat lunch purchased from food trucks and a nook for parents to watch children in ski school.

TENT BONANZA

The collective move outside was first noticed by companies that rent shelters. Demand has been, in a word, intense.

“I bought four new tents on Friday,” said David Norton, owner of New England Tent & Awning in Brunswick.

Calls first started coming in the spring from hospitals, which were setting up overflow spaces for potential COVID-19 patients, Norton said. Then restaurants, breweries and gyms reached out. Now schools. And hospitals are again calling for tents, to expedite fall flu shots in their parking lots.

“This incredible surge (in demand) for tents has filled the gaps for canceled weddings and events, like the Yarmouth Clam Festival and Highland Games,” Norton said.

Renting a big tent for more than a week is an investment. A shelter 50 feet long by 30 feet wide can cost $15,000 or more for the season. How long that season extends now is an open question.

“We are starting to have the conversation that, come the end of October, we need to take them down,” Norton said. “Before we get snow.”

But some rentals are being extended deep into autumn.

“We currently have some tents rented until Thanksgiving,” said Lynne Cousins, co-owner of One Stop Event Rentals in South Portland. “There have been school inquiries for tent rentals until Thanksgiving break.”

Cousins said the company’s tents can handle “light snowstorms,” and that a foreman is sent after storms to check on the tents.

Daytime temperatures were in the 40s and low 50s in March, when Bath Iron Works began renting several large tents to create additional areas for breaks and lunchtime. The shipyard does have some space inside buildings and on ships for workers to eat and still maintain social distancing, said David Hench, a company spokesman. But the company hopes to keep the tents up as long as possible.

“I’m not aware of any plans to change things up when the cold weather hits,” Hench said. “It was pretty blustery and frigid some days after we started this spring, and they were used less on those days.”

COLD IS THE ENEMY

One way to extend the tent and patio season is with portable propane-fueled heaters, which come in various sizes and styles.

At Pat’s Pizza, Chris Kyle went to a big-box store and bought patio heaters, which are easy to find for less than $200. Three are lined up now under the tent in Yarmouth, like large metal mushrooms that can throw off a 10-foot radius of warmth.

But the heaters are expensive to run, Kyle said, and it’s a hassle to keep filling the portable tanks. His dad said he’s not sure it will be worth the cost after October. It depends on how many customers still want to eat outdoors.

Customer counts may depend on how Mainers adjust their expectations, as well as their clothing. There is no guarantee that patrons will be willing to remain outside in the relative discomfort of a brisk autumn chill.

It’s common at ski areas for visitors to sit outdoors and eat around a fire pit when temperatures are well below freezing.

“But they’re dressed for skiing,” Kyle said. “When I go out for dinner, I’m not dressed for skiing. But maybe I will be. I’ll put on my L.L. Bean jacket.”

People do need to plan ahead and bring the right clothing to be comfortable sitting outdoors this fall, according to Anne Smith, vice president of merchandising at L.L. Bean.

“It’s all about the layers,” she said.

And it’s about changing conditions. A day that might feel warm in the late afternoon can turn brisk at sunset. So bring along a jacket for later, Smith advised, perhaps with a longer length for added comfort when sitting. And don’t forget a hat and warm socks.

“Hats and socks are most important pieces,” she said. “Keep your head and feet warm.”

Prior to the pandemic, some businesses with outdoor dining offered patrons a cozy blanket to ward off the chill. Sharing blankets is a public health no-no during a pandemic, but a lightweight fleece throw is easy to take along.

“You could fold it up and keep it in a tote bag, along with your extra hat,” Smith said.

A class takes place outside at Jibe Cycling Studio in Yarmouth on Aug. 20. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

DESTINATION UNKNOWN

Warm clothes and portable heaters aren’t a major concern at Jibe Cycling Studio in Portland and Yarmouth. Patrons warm up quickly in the spinning classes. And recent customer surveys found that people want to ride outdoors as long as possible, according to Joanna Pease, the owner.

“We have more riders who feel comfortable outside,” she said.

So in Yarmouth, Pease bought a 20-by-40-foot tent for $1,500. She can fit 20 bikes underneath, six feet apart. The tent is set up in the studio parking lot at the entrance to Hannaford Plaza, a high-visibility location passed by hundreds of shoppers every day.

Classes begin at 6 a.m., so staff may need to set up the bikes with headlamps. Pease is looking at solar-charged lights to illuminate the instructor.

The tent is permitted by the town through November, Pease said. After that, she’s wondering the same thing as other businesses owners: What will customers do after the tents come down?

“That’s the million-dollar question,” said John Kyle at Pat’s Pizza. “Will they come in after they can’t eat outside? I don’t think anyone knows.”

« Previous

Next »

Related Stories