LA MESA RETAILERS BEGIN TO REOPEN

By Miriam  Raftery

May 9, 2020 (La Mesa) – Just in time for Mother’s Day, some La Mesa retailers have reopened for curbside sales. Tiramisu Trattoria, a popular eatery closed for eight weeks, has reopened its doors for takeout orders. San Pasqual Winery is offering a health care worker, local restaurant and wine-to-go promo. Other businesses, not yet open, offered messages of encouragement for the community in storefront windows. 

In downtown La Mesa today, shoppers browsed through goods on sidewalk displays while practicing social distancing.  At Amethyst Moon, hand-made masks in colorful patterns drew the attention of passersby.  Act II had clothing on display.

Craig Maxwell, owner of Maxwell’s House of Books, says he’s getting customers again for curbside pickup of books. In a spirit of generosity, he’s also put a box of free books outside his shop with a sign that says, “Keep reading, La Mesa.”

At Tiramisu Trattoria, owner David Chiodo and his wife, Tita, are handling orders themselves after initially closing due to the pandemic.  They hope to eventually retire to Italy, but for now, they’re hoping to-go orders will keep them afloat.  

Have a hankering for chicken or veal Piccata or Marsala?  Penne pasta in vodka tomato

cream sauce?  Bruschetta, pizza, pasta, stuffed cannolis or spumoni ice cream?  Their take-out hours are We

dnesday through Sunday from 2 to 7 p.m.

Some other restaurants have been doing takeout, curbside or delivery for weeks, with varying degrees of success.  

At Edible Arrangements, fruit bouquets and luscious chocolate-dipped strawberries were among the Mother’s Day items available.

La Mesa has free five-minute parking spaces available with meter fees waived in those spots to make pickup of orders easy.  

San Pasqual Winery is offering complimentary chocolates with Mom’s favorite wine bottle purchased for Mother’s Day. Other options include the newly released 2019 Rose of Cabernet Franc and other Mom gifts , as well as a “survival case special to wine and dine at home – with home delivery option.

The winery is also offering a health care worker and local restaurant promo. Buy a 3-bottle “health care special” (red, white or merlot) with Rosie the Riveter’s image and “We got this!” on the label and the winery will donate $10 from each order to purchase gift cards from local restaurants to give to local health care workers. If you match their donation of $10, you’ll also get a free insulated tote bag to keep and 100% of your donation will go toward gift cards, too.  

Some businesses are not yet allowed to reopen under state and local health orders, including spas, barber and beauty shops and gyms. Boulevard Barber & Shave posted a heart symbol showing love for La Mesa in its window.

Legacy Escrow put a bowl of water for dogs outside its establishment with messages reading “Stay positive” and “La Mesa Strong.”

Merchants in La Mesa’s historic downtown district are going through tough times, but the small town with a big heart hasn’t lost its can-do community spirit.