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Eugene Closes Broadway For More Outdoor Restaurant Seating

Rachael McDonald

To support downtown restaurants, the City of Eugene is closing a block to motor vehicles. The Broadway Streateryprogram started Thursday.

Credit Party Downtown Instagram screenshot
Tiffany Norton and Mark Kosmicki, co-owners of Party Downtown and Party on Friendly, announced on their Instagram page that they'll be open Friday for dining al fresco on Broadway. The street will be closed to cars for the City of Eugene's Streatery program to encourage physically distanced dining at local restaurants.

Broadway is closed between Willamette and Olive streets. The street will transform into café seating for restaurants on that block, including Party Downtown. Co-owner Mark Kosmicki said this allows them to welcome back their employees and offer dine-in service, outside.  

“We just didn’t feel very comfortable about having indoor service and so we feel like this is the safest we can be and still try to have some business.” Kosmicki said.Kosmicki and his wife and business partner, Tiffany Norton, have been doing take-out only since the pandemic shutdown.

“You are the bread baker and the dishwasher and the prep cook. And all those things.” Kosmicki said.  “So, it’s been, probably the hardest I’ve worked since we opened the food cart to tell you the truth.”

The Broadway Streatery program will continue through the summer if successful. And, it might expand to other blocks.

Copyright 2020 KLCC.

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.
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