NOBLESVILLE — Courtney's Kitchen in Noblesville is now back open for dine-in services and they have been for about eight weeks now.
The restaurant was one of a few that did not reopen right away when the state allowed them to do so.
"We imagined the first year would be the hardest or most difficult for us," Carrie Courtney, co-owner of Courtney's Kitchen, said. "With everything happening in the current situation it's been a little more taxing."
Courtney said it was always the dream of her brother, Cass, to open a restaurant and 10 years ago the two made it a reality in downtown Noblesville.
"My dad is the breakfast cook," Courtney said. "My mom is a full-time worker through the week. My aunt makes all the homemade pies."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Courtney family is continuing to adapt to changes just to stay open. Curbside delivery and carryout is what helped push them through until now but growing the business is still a daily challenge.
"We are operating probably only at 40 percent of our normal business. That takes a hit," Courtney said. "So you try to force yourself to be more creative and enact more things but you can't — you're still limited. You want people to think about local when they decide to go out to eat but a lot of people just aren't ready to go out at all."
"We're gonna stop here at Courtney's and get some breaded tenderloins," Tim Proffit, a customer said. "This is my first time being here."
Proffit said he wants to support local businesses but like others he's still not quite ready to dine in despite all the steps the restaurant is taking to keep people safe.
"I think it's a lot safer to get carryout than it is going in and dining in," Proffit said.
Courtney said events getting canceled in Noblesville is also hurting business but the restaurant's biggest fundraiser of the year — the Strutt to Save Lives — is rescheduled for September.
"It's something that we look forward to because it brings back some more normalcy," Courtney said. "We've lost so many events and that's something that we can do safely regardless of the environment."
Courtney hopes the event that is put on by the Indiana Donor Network and race car driver Bryan Clauson's family has a good turnout so this small local staple can keep its doors open and continue serving the community.
If you do choose to dine in and support a local business, Courtney's Kitchen is taking staff members temperatures daily, sanitizing chairs, tables and menus as well as dedicating one employee to busing tables to keep the restaurant as clean as possible.
