Phase 2 reopening: Local Sonoma County restaurant, winery join forces to resume business amid COVID-19

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- Sonoma County became the third Bay Area county to reopen into Phase 2.

Business owners are gearing up to welcome customers just in time for Memorial Day Weekend.

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Tony Moll, a former NFL player, along with two of his teammates founded the Three Fat Guy's Winery. Moll has been selling wine outside of his store and doing virtual wine tasting several times a week.

"First phone call we made was to Picazo, and said 'get your food truck here and we got to partner over here' and that is what it's all about. Small town feel," said Moll.

Under the new rules by the California Department of Public Health, wineries may also open for outdoor dining if meals are served. A win, win situation for Picazo restaurant and The Three Fat Guys Winery.

"Collaborating equality honestly. Because their wine is good and our food truck is awesome and so the food and the wine go hand in hand," said Kina Chavez, owner of Picazo Food Truck & Café

Under this order, restaurants, shopping malls, day camps, child care and churches for drive-in services will be allowed to open. Schools are still a question mark. Sonoma County Supervisor Shirlee Zane says this is a great start.

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"You can't have tables next to each other, they'll have to be the plastic shields every will have to be disposable for wine tastings," said Zane.

A ray of sunshine after the last three and half years of fires, floods and power shutdowns Sonoma has overcome.

"We have gone through 4 disasters now in the last years and our businesses have gone through so much, and people here have gone through so much and we keep picking ourselves up again," said Supervisor Zane.

Kina Chavez says the new order brings a sigh of relief that she will finally be able to reopen their café and restaurant but not without proper training.

"When we decide on what day we are going to open because we are not ready to open our dining area yet. We are going to have to get together and start practicing the new protocols," said Chavez.

For now, they still have this sunset, food, wine and the anticipation of more businesses during Memorial Day weekend.

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