Utica Restaurant Owner Films Emotional Goodbye Announcing Closing

A popular South Utica restaurant and bar is one of the first Central New York businesses to announce they will not reopen as the COVID-19 dust clears.

Renee Basile took to social media to announce after "14 years strong" she and her husband Chris have made the difficult decision to close their doors for good. It was not an easy decision to make, but the shutdown has taken it's toll.

"We've been here for 14 years with friends, who have become family, who experienced their joys, their parties, the birth of children, anniversaries with all of us and for that I am grateful," said Basile.

Basile's Black Cat Restaurant or 'The Black Cat' as the regulars called it took on the "corner bar theory" which assured everyone who came in there that they were welcome. Whether alone of with a group you knew you could feel at home there.

The first possible date for the entrance into Phase 1 of the reopening plan is May 15th and that is limited to only a few select businesses. The operation of dine-in restaurants and bars isn't likely until Phase 3 of the plan. It's not certain when things will be back to the way it was or even some semblance of it, but you wonder how many more restaurants will make the tough decision to not reopen.

Continue to support any local business you can by ordering take-out, looking into curbside pick up or delivery for other goods and services and remember to always do what you can to stop the spread in order to open our economy again as soon as possible. Let's hope we don't see more announcements like Renee and Chris's.