CLARION, Pa., (EYT) – As Clarion residents deal with restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Daddy’s Main Street sent an encouraging message to everyone by posting a sign in the window of the restaurant urging everyone to “Stay Strong.”

As most businesses on Clarion’s Main Street have closed, Daddy’s Main Street is among the restaurants that have remained open for carry-out service.

“I love this town,” said Daddy’s manager Darren Troese when asked why he had placed the sign in the window of the Main Street eatery. “These are scary times.”

“Nobody was saying anything. Nobody was telling us anything. Nobody knows how dangerous this is or where the town is going. It just seemed like a responsible idea to try to rally the team.”

As part of Team Clarion, the Troese family has made a living in Clarion for more than a hundred years.

“We all have families,” Troese said. “We all raised our families here. We’re not just doing this for us. We’re doing this for everybody.”

Customers have expressed their appreciation for the sign of hope. Many have stopped by to purchase gift certificates, as well as food.

Troese said he has seen the best in people during the past week. Friends who had been laid off from their jobs have volunteered to help out if needed.

Business has been good for Daddy’s Main Street, according to Troese.

“People seem thankful that we’re open,” he said. “They’re definitely making it a point to come up here. Clarionites have really stepped up, and we’re all trying to help each other. All of the local restaurants have come together. We’re working really hard to keep feeding everybody.”

As an example, Troese said restaurant owners worked together to get local government officials to allocate four parking meters near the restaurants for take-out customers. He also said they’re communicating with each other about the current situation and how to manage business while operating within the existing restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“We’ve always been committed to this town,” he said. “We’re trying to bring as much normalcy and comfort to the community as we can right now.”

Workers at Daddy’s have thoroughly disinfected the restaurant; they wear gloves and masks and keep interaction with customers to a minimum.

Troese said that Daddy’s employees only do their assigned job.

“The money guy is in the front handling just the money,” Troese explained. “The fry guy does just the frying. We’re using Lysol in the entire place every half an hour.”

Chairs have been stacked in the dining area, so there is no place for people to gather or be close to each other when they come to pick up food.

“Most people have been coming in and picking up their food and then leaving,” he said.

Daddy’s has streamlined the menu and is running a limited amount of specials to accommodate the need for customers to come in, get their food, then quickly move on.

If customers would like, the food can be brought outside to the curb.

Troese said this entire process is new to him and that he didn’t have a plan in place to handle a situation such as this.

“We’ve been restauranteurs since 1945,” he noted. “We’re trying to adapt our business, so we can keep ahead of the virus as things change.”