ROSS TOWNSHIP, Pa. — For the first time in more than two months, a restaurant in Ross Township has reopened after a driver suffered a medical issue and crashed into the business.
Rochester Inn had already voluntarily shut down after Allegheny County’s dine-in alcohol ban because of COVID-19 when the accident happened on July 1. No one was inside, but the damage was extensive (CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS).
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Owner Kevin DuMont said navigating the pandemic has been a whirlwind, and it is costing tens of thousands of dollars to make repairs.
Even now, the front of the restaurant remains boarded up. A new, temporary entrance has been created.
DuMont said he’s grateful the restaurant was closed when the crash happened or he and others may have been hurt.
“The people that come here. They’re not just customers. They’re like part of our family. They’ve been coming for so long,” DuMont said.
Rochester Inn’s reopening comes the same day the indoor dining capacity for restaurants in Pennsylvania is allowed to jump from 25% to 50%.
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