Another local business has been forced to close its operations as COVID-19 cases surge in the region.
Café Voltaire, located inside Books and Company, says it will be closed for the foreseeable future due to the pandemic as of today (Dec. 9).
"It is with heavy hearts and public safety in mind that we must announce that starting Wednesday Dec 9, Café Voltaire will once again close down for the foreseeable future due to the COVID-19 pandemic," Owner Owen Lubbers said in a post on the cafe's Facebook page.
"We want to extend a very special thank you to our many devoted customers and patrons, wonderful staff, and community vendors from over the years."
Lubbers thanked customers for helping keep its doors open for the past 25 years.
He adds the shop doesn't plan on going anywhere, noting things will just look different for the next while.
Books and Company will stay open during the closure of the café with regular hours.
Lubbers says Café Voltaire will also honour any gift cards that people hay have.
Over the weekend, CrossRoads Brewing announced they would be stopping in-person dining at its brewery due to the rises in cases in the north.
Owner and physician Dr. Daryl Leiski said he felt he needed to do his part and help in any way possible.
"As a physician working within our community, I feel that we need to do what we can to help in any way possible. As the owner of CrossRoads, it is my responsibility to protect our community, my staff at CrossRoads, my friends and colleagues at UHNBC and those that have and continue to support us.
"Closing the restaurant for indoor/outdoor dining at a time when our health authority and our provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, is imploring people to minimize contracts and to stay at home is the right thing for CrossRoads to do at this time. We may be the first breaker, and hopefully not alone in a circuit breaker strategy to flatten the curve and support our healthcare workers and the general population.”
- With files from Hanna Petersen, PrinceGeorgeMatters
