It s pure coincidence that the inaugural West Reading Restaurant Week will kick off just as COVID-related restrictions on indoor dining and beverage service are set to be eased.
Impeccable though the timing may be, however, the borough s dining establishments didn t necessarily need any added incentive to hold a celebration in 2021.
Masks and social distancing may be required, but West Reading is still cooking, and Restaurant Week is just one more feature to add to the plate.
- Advertisement - It s obviously a great time to put something like this on for restaurants, not only because of the pandemic or coming out of the pandemic, said Adam Cocuzza, owner of Say Cheese! Restaurant and Cheese. Also just for West Reading. We have enough restaurants now. The area has matured, and the restaurants we have are full of great ideas where we can really wrap our heads around an event like Restaurant Week.
Even as COVID strained economic conditions across the country, West Reading s business community grew exponentially in 2020.
With the launch of Snazzy Beauty Supply on the 400 block of Penn Avenue last week, the borough has welcomed 19 new retailers during the pandemic compared to eight closures â a net gain of 11 businesses â according to West Reading Main Street manager Mark Ratcliffe. I am pleasantly surprised, for sure, said Ratcliffe. Nobody knew when this pandemic came up what was going to happen.
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And not only does Ratcliffe expect the momentum to carry over into 2021, but there is now talk of redevelopment opportunities that could further transform West Reading over the course of the next decade.