Hospitality

Citing significant losses incurred from the coronavirus pandemic, Armsby Abbey Owners Alec Lopez and Sherri Sadowski announced they will close the downtown Worcester restaurant for the summer, beginning at 4 p.m. on Sunday, with a goal of reopening on Sept. 1.

Gov. Charlie Baker suggested Monday that he will announce by the end of this week when the second half of the current reopening phase will begin, and a prominent member of his party suggested over the weekend that the public health data supports an acceleration of the state's economic revival.

Accra Girls Co-owner Emmanuel Larbi, a medical researcher turned restaurateur, announced on Monday he will open a new eatery inside Worcester Public Market on Thursday.

The owners behind Hudson eatery Rail Trail Flatbread Co. plan to open a restaurant at 223 Main St. in Milford, in the old Rockland Trust building near the town common, co-owner Karim El-Gamal said on Friday.

In recognition of the fact that many cities and towns might have to change the way some public spaces like sidewalks and parking spaces are used in order to accommodate expanded outdoor dining and socially distance queuing outside of retail stores, the Baker administration is making $5 million in grant funding available to municipalities.

The City of Framingham has launched an accelerated application process for restaurants seeking temporary outdoor seating as the Massachusetts economy phases in its reopening, with outdoor seating the only option for restaurants right now.

Area business and organization leaders are stepping into the public forum to denounce systemic racism and racial violence perpetrated against black communities.

CEO Grace Elton talked with WBJ in advance of Tower Hill Botanic Garden's June 8 reopening.

The Worcester Business Journal asked area architects and preservation advocates: If you were mapping out an architectural tour of Central Massachusetts, which buildings would you include and why?

As businesses around Central Massachusetts reopen after being shut down for more than two months, their staffs and their customers are adjusting to new regulations and policies, as the companies try to maximize their revenue while limiting the risk of further spread of coronavirus, all while hoping customers remain calm about the restrictions.