Mack’s Cash Grocery reopens in Columbia after a 9-month coronavirus closure

For more than 70 years, Mack’s Cash Grocery on Laurel St. in Columbia, has served a limited menu of Southern fried foods to a loyal base of regulars.

In March, everything changed with the coronavirus pandemic and the restaurant’s owner, Clyde Patrick III, and manager, Susan Looney, decided to to close indefinitely.

Without a drive-thru, an inability to offer curbside service, a small indoor space and several employees with underlying health issues, Looney said the decision was difficult but necessary to close.

“I don’t think anyone really knew the severity of this and so we tried, and each day business got worse. Each day there were more closings,” Looney said.

On Monday, nine months after closing its doors, Mack’s reopened to lines of customers during its hours from 6 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

It took the staff of six a couple months to get the restaurant ready to reopen. Looney said they even had a practice day before Monday to make sure they could work the line like they used to.

“We were just ready to get back into action and we figured the beginning of the year would be the perfect time. We really thought things would be a little bit different as far as the pandemic, but hopefully that’ll get better soon,” said Looney.

Looney has worked at Mack’s for 25 years, and the other employees have been there just as long. During the pandemic, Looney had to be a teacher to her 9-year-old son doing virtual school and said she was ready to get back to work.

At the beginning of the pandemic, Mack’s employees were able to get unemployment benefits. As the stimulus checks stopped coming, Patrick still took care of the tight-knit group of employees.

But after months without restaurant income, the decision to reopen was largely financial, said Looney.

“It was really a tough decision to decide when, especially in the middle of the pandemic when things seems to be getting worse than they were,” said Looney. “Unfortunately, I hate to say that a huge factor was the financial aspect, but it was. You can only go so long without.”

On reopening day, Mack’s was lively again with people lined up and waiting for orders all the way until closing time. Some sat and ate their food at the red booth tables in the restaurant, while others waited inside for takeout orders. A sign on the front door reminded people to wear masks.

Customers could watch their food being cooked across the countertop. Tens of patties cooking at once and orders like the double chili cheeseburger and the cheese slaw dog could be heard called out across the kitchen.

Looney said she was happy to be around customers again and heard people saying kind words all day. Things like, “we didn’t think you’d be back, but we’re glad you’re here,” were frequent.

This story was originally published January 5, 2021 at 2:18 PM.