A restaurant expands to beat COVID cutbacks

Empire Pizza expanding to allow dine-in service

RESTAURANTS HAVE BEENSTRUGGLING TO STAY IN BUSINESSSINCE VIRUS PRECAUTIONS CUTDINE-IN SPACE.

BUT AS KGUN 9ON YOUR SIDE'S CRAIG SMITHREPORTS -- ONE DOWNTOWNRESTAURANT SEES EXPANDING ASTHE ROUTE TO A REBOUND.OWNER TOM BROWNE STILL HAD TOCUT STAFF.

NOW HE HAS ANOPPORTUNITY TO GROW HISBUSINESS AND BRING BACKSIT-DOWN CUSTOMERS.

13:58CRAIG: "LUCKILY THERE'S ROOMTO EXPAND; AND IT'S RIGHT NEXTDOOR." 14:04 RUNS: 06 BROWNEHAD HIS EYE ON WHAT HAD BEENTHE HYDRA CLOTHING STOREBEFORE COVID HIT BUT WITH EVENNATIONALLY FAMOUS RESTAURANTSLIKE CAFE POCA COSA CLOSING ASA CONSEQUENCE OF COVID, RIONUEVO IS WORRIED VIRUSSHUTDOWNS WILL CLOSE MOREBUSINESSES AND REVERSE THERENAISSANCE OF TUCSON'SDOWNTOWN.

SO THE DEVELOPMENTDISTRICT IS WILLING TO INVESTUP TO 300 THOUSAND DOLLARS TOHELP EMPIRE PIZZA EXPAND.

7:46"NOBODY REALLY WANTS TO SEEYOU KNOW THE PEOPLE THATSTARTED EVERYTHING DOWN HEREGO AWAY AND THEN THEIRSTOREFRONTS BECOME OCCUPIED BYCHAIN RESTAURANTS." 7:55RUNS:09 TOM BROWNE SAYS ITDOES TAKE SOME NERVE TO EXPANDWHEN OTHER RESTAURANTS ARESHUTTING DOWN.

BUT HE SAYSEXPANDING WITH RIO NUEVO'SHELP SHOULD LET HIM SERVE AHUNDRED DINERS EVEN WITH COVIDDISTANCING.

HE SAYS THATSHOULD BE ENOUGH TO KEEPEMPIRE PIZZA SERVING UPSLICES.

CRAIG SMITH, KGUN9 ONYOUR SIDE