COVER STORY
PROCEEDING
WITH CAUTION
City, businesses optimistic as the region
slowly returns to a new normal world
Port St. Lucie businesses that have survived the
COVID-19 pandemic are looking forward to city
residents getting outside after months of quarantine.
“We have seen some retail/restaurant businesses
just not able to survive the lengthy shut down and the
gradual reopening process,” says Terissa Aronson, president/
CEO of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce.
“We don’t have all the data yet, nor are we out of the
woods,” she says. “But we know our event and tourism
related businesses have struggled greatly. The effect of the
quarantine on businesses varied as well as the responses. We
had businesses that experienced very little slowdown, some
who experienced increased business, many who got creative
and others just weren’t able to pivot and sustain.”
“We know our residents are anxious to get out,” she says.
“The people of this community are fighters and we’ll get
through it together.”
When Tutto Fresco Italian Grill in PGA Village closed, the
restaurant’s managers realized they would have to think outside
the box. To make up for the loss of inside seating due to
Center for Disease Control social distancing guidelines, they
rented a tent with air conditioning and fans. A permanent
tent is planned to add about 40 more seats and extend out
from the existing patio dining area. >>
8 Port St. Lucie Magazine
GREG GARDNER PHOTOS
Mike Albano of All Star DJ Trivia picks up a team’s answer during a contest on the patio of Tutto Fresco Italian Grill in PGA Village. A tent with additional
seating was added when the restaurant reopened.
BY GREG GARDNER