NORTH ATTLEBORO - Attracting new businesses to a town is one of the main goals of an economic development coordinator. While those businesses generate new revenue, it's just as important that existing businesses are successful.
In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, North Attleboro's Lyle Pirnie is spending the majority of his time assisting businesses already in town trying to bounce back from a stay-at-home advisory that started in mid-March.
Pirnie has spent the past few weeks trying to help family-owned restaurants in the downtown succeed under the restrictions the state has set upon reopening. He knows it's not profitable for those restaurants if they're only allowed to serve a dozen or so patrons inside and why he is reaching for the sky.
If all goes well, the sky will literally be the ceiling for diners if a plan he announced during a May 21 panel discussion comes to fruition.
He has been working with town officials, public safety personnel and restaurant owners over the past few weeks on a plan to allow restaurants to move tables and chairs outside of their establishments.
The hope is that diners will return to the downtown with no problems. If so, the outside dining would continue into July and August.
Click the video below to stream Pirnie's interview with North TV on May 29.
