After a year marked by closures, uncertainty, restrictions and dramatic losses in revenue, the businesses climate is looking up. As evidenced by the 20 new restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops and retailers that are set to open or already have, Beverly Hills remains an attractive city for business owners. The influx comes at an opportune time, as the county readies to move into the less restrictive orange tier on April 5, as part of the State’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy. Starting Monday, grocery and indoor retail stores will jump from 50 percent capacity to 75, and restaurants, movie theaters and places of worship will also be allowed to increase their indoor capacity from 25 to 50 percent or 200 people, whichever is less. Under the orange tier, bars that don’t serve food are finally able to open outdoors with tables spaced eight feet apart, with a maximum of six people from three different households at each table, no live entertainment and hours of operation from 11:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Breweries and wineries without meal service may remain open outdoors and reopen indoors with a maximum occupancy of 25 percent or 100 people, whichever is less.
“Businesses generally succeed in Beverly Hills,” Todd Johnson, President and CEO of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce told the Courier. “There’s some that don’t for different reasons, but, for the most part, it’s the safest city in the country. Regardless of what’s taken place, we’re still extremely safe, extremely friendly and walkable.”
