Virus diary: Scratch Kitchen launch coincides with forced closures
BOULDER — Michael Joseph’s latest natural food venture, Scratch Kitchen, is not his first rodeo. It is, however, the first time launching a business during a pandemic.
Joseph, who was on the ground floor of Green Chef, Mile High Organics and Door to Door Organics when it moved to Colorado, officially began operating Scratch Kitchen March 27 after pushing back the date from March 17. The restaurant softly launched mid-March.
With the COVID-19 crisis, doors are open only metaphorically. Customers are not allowed in the facility and are asked to pay ahead online for curbside assistance. Delivery orders are made through Scratch Kitchen’s website or DoorDash.
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The restaurant concept is a takeout/delivery-only dining hall using simple, natural ingredients.
Under its roof are three restaurants: Greenlight, Kin and Co. and Clubhouse. All concepts were created by the Scratch Kitchen team and have full menus that offer gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options.
On March 16, Gov. Jared Polis suspended dine-in restaurant services. Scratch Kitchen, an already takeout and delivery model, did not have to pivot it’s business like traditional restaurants did.
Scratch Kitchen is receiving better business than originally predicted, Joseph said. There are also more customers ordering through the direct website rather than a third party delivery service than expected.
While Scratch Kitchen is performing well, Joseph said it’s difficult seeing other business owners struggle.
“It’s weird, we didn’t expect our competition to get demolished when we launched.That never crossed our minds,” Joseph said.
In a survey from the Colorado Restaurant Association released last week, 43 percent of the 256 restaurant respondents temporarily closed to comply with stay-at-home orders. It also found that 80 percent of restaurants have laid off at least some of their staffs.
Joseph noted that while Scratch Kitchen already had thorough hygienic practices, the team took more precautions specific to eliminating the spread of COVID-19.
Hours of operation and hours for its 23 workers are shorter. The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. until 8pm., closing two hours earlier than originally planned. The dining hall can potentially house 12 restaurants so Scratch Kitchen staff is utilizing the extra space, ensuring that everyone keeps a minimum distance of 6 feet.
“Right now, every 60 minutes we’re doing scheduled sanitation,” Joseph said. “That very well could be overkill but we’re going above and beyond with measures like that just to be extra cautious.”
Along with the three Scratch Kitchen restaurants, it added SK Market, an online convenience store. As of now, customers can order bottled beverages and pints of ice cream. Joseph said that “grocery staples,” such as locally-sourced produce and dairy products, will eventually be added. Certain products will have a limit per customer set to discourage food hoarding.
