Eno Cocktail Lounge and Wine Bar has closed and filed for bankruptcy in part because of the coronavirus restrictions, which have caused restaurants in Durango to either temporarily shut down or offer take-out or delivery service.
Alison Dance, the former owner of Eno and the adjacent Cyprus Café in the 700 block of East Second Avenue, said she sold the two businesses during summer 2018 but still owns the property.
Dance said the new owner of the two restaurants planned to suspend operations during the coronavirus outbreak, but as weeks passed, decided to close permanently.
“They just had a bad run with the 416 Fire (in summer 2018), another bad winter after that and now COVID-19,” Dance said. “So the whole thing is in bankruptcy.”
Dance opened the Cyprus Café in 1996 and Eno in 2010.
Dance said the Eno space is for rent, but prospects are uncertain because of the current economic climate.
“I just thought I’d throw up a for-rent sign and see what happens,” she said.
Dance plans to take back ownership of Cyprus Café, but because the businesses face bankruptcy, she will be forced to operate under the name Dandelion Café, for now.
But when Dance’s new restaurant will open, or in what form, remains undetermined, she said.
“I’m just going to be ready to do something if I can’t open as a full-service restaurant,” she said. “Maybe I’ll do private cheffing or just offer take-out.”
Dave Woodruff, president of the Durango chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association, said many restaurants in town have tight budgets and might be unable to weather major disruptions in sales.
As a result, it’s possible additional restaurant closures are ahead.
“It takes a long time, especially in a tight, competitive environment like Durango, to put in roots and turn a profit,” Woodruff said.
Nationally, the profit margin for restaurants is 3% to 5%, Woodruff said. It can take a restaurant up to five years to start making money.
As the U.S. works toward reopening the economy, Woodruff said restaurants will face new guidelines.
Will tables have to be 6 feet apart? How far will employees have to stand away from each other? Will staff need to take the temperatures of people coming into dine? All these are questions the industry is asking, Woodruff said.
“We’re going to have to figure out the new normal,” he said. “And we’ll have to be more fluid as the days come.”
jromeo@durangoherald.com
