Palomino Room in Red Bluff set to open for dine-in

Palomino Room in Red Bluff set to open for dine-in

A restaurant owner in red bluff is planning to defy the governor's stay at home order and open his doors for dine-in service.

Action news now reporter karen alvarez is live in red bluff.

Karen---what does the owner tell you?

The owner of palomino room--- carlos zapata--- tells me only having pickup is costing him too much money and he's moving forward with opening his doors tomorrow for dine-in.

((broll)) drive around downtown red bluff and you'll see business after business with signs that say "closed until further notice"--- but not the palomino room--- sot (carlos zapata, owner--- palomino room): we are not doing this out of rebellion or revolt.

We're doing this out of survival.

(broll of palomino room)located in the heart of downtown red bluff---owner carlos zapata says he's had enough and will be opening his restaurant friday may 1st--- despite the governor's order--- sot(carlos zapata): when the government fails to create a situation or environment where you can survive, you have to create that environment for yourself and that's exactly what we are doing.

The government at this point has failed us as business owners.

((broll))action news now was with zapata and other business owners as they met with city leaders and law enforcement outside the tehama county courthouse to discuss plans to reopen.

((broll of meeting)) quick nats of meeting: if you haven't had a paycheck in seven, almost eight weeks, you'd be saying the same thing right now.

Quick nats of meeting: that's where our hands are tied right now, which is so frustrating because he doesn't know about our counties, he doesn't know about our cities.

Zapata says he temporraily closed his restaurant, sticking to take- out---.

But because he says the retsaurant can't afford to remian closed any longer, he has no other option but to reopen.

Sot(carlos zapata): i would say that we're being selfless in that we're trying to do what's best for our employees, for our children.

This isn't about me, its about my staff, my family, our vision for this community.

He says the low number of coronavirus cases in tehama acounty also played a part in his decision to reopen.

But not everyone agrees with him.

Sot(nancy lang, lives in red bluff): i definitely do not agree with a restaurant being open at this time.

I think later on you know wait for the governorto say something.

Sot(judi bauer): i support their right to choose.

I don't necesarilly say its right or wrong, but i support their right to choose as a business owner and suffer the consequences if there may be some.

Regardless--- zapata says he's ready to welcome people to dine-in starting tomorrow.

Sot (carlos zapata): we have no finish line the goal post keeps getting moved you know.

With that in mind, with that kind of circumstance i gotta say we gotta take matters into our own hands.

They're not giving us an opening date, we gotta make the opening date.

Zapata tells me he submitted a reopening plan to public health---they approved it and he's moving forward with opening tomorrow, following strict safety procedures set by public health.

Live in red bluff - karen alvarez - action news now - coverage you can count on.

Zapata tells action news now he plans to follow social distancing and other safety measures.##