The tony Hamptons was a bubble of activity — until Thursday when the beach hamlet confirmed its first coronavirus case.
Now that bubble has burst, giving Hamptons’ restaurateurs a bad case of whiplash — and fears about what’s to come.
Over at the Southampton hotspot 75 Main, for example, business was up 50 percent in the first half of March — thanks to a flood of wealthy New Yorkers fleeing the coronavirus threat in Westchester and Manhattan.
“I had people waiting for dinner seats at the bar, and that never happens this time of year,” said Zach Erdem, owner of the Italian eatery, which seats 150.
Then, on Thursday, the Town of East Hampton confirmed its first case of COVID-19. The woman, who was described as being in her “late 70s,” appears to have contracted the disease through “community spread,” or contact with the people around her, officials said.
It changed everything, including at 75 Main, where reservations plummeted by 60 percent.
“[Saturday] night was like a ghost town. It is like a disaster is coming,” Erdem lamented. “I hired extra staff but had to send them home.”
“It feels like a tornado is going to hit us or just pass us by. The few people who are eating out are bringing their own water and silverware.”
It’s a major shift from earlier this month when Hamptonites were crowding into eateries feeling relieved to have escaped the state’s more populated cities and suburbs.
The resulting surge in activity had one notable restaurateur talking up how “fun” it was. “People who are canceling trips abroad still want to get away,” she said. “It’s a fun vibe.”
The CDC recommends “social distancing” to avoid becoming infected, but a spokesperson declined to offer guidelines on how that applies to dining, saying it’s an issue best left to state and local officials.
Local officials have been largely hesitant to shutter restaurants entirely, however. In Jersey City, Mayor Steven Fulop ordered a 10 p.m. curfew on all bars and eateries with liquor licenses, while Governor Cuomo ordered venues with seating of under 500 to cut their capacities in half.
Meanwhile health experts have increasingly recommended people avoid eating out because the virus can be carried through cups and utensils — or food that’s coughed upon.
That reality is hitting home in this elite enclave.
“It keeps changing. We went out to eat a lot, and then we started having small dinner parties,” said a downtown Manhattan mom who recently decamped to East Hampton.
“Now we are mainly staying home and talking about what plastic surgeries we can do as we slow everything down,” she said, somewhat jokingly.
“I had plans with friends tonight who just canceled going out and then said, ‘don’t even come over — we are self quarantining,’” added Jennifer Gilbert, an event planner and CEO of Save the Date. “So there goes my plans!“