This date of Wednesday, June 9, they had ticked off their calendar for a long time.
"We've been here for 6 hours, we can't wait," whisper Julie and Jordan, the owners.
With their employee, Rachel, the couple were counting the days before finally reopening the doors of Jo'Cœur, the ultimate shop in the village of Appilly (Oise).
Here more than elsewhere, this return to the room for clients is experienced as a liberation.
Because since their takeover of the establishment, the hard knocks have been chained and struck down on the young couple of restaurateurs.
“For now, we had managed to be open for five months, calculates Julie.
When we arrived, there had just been the flooding of early 2020, followed by the first containment.
We opened on July 14, 2020 before closing in November for the second lockdown.
"
"The click and collect did not work so well here"
And the misfortunes do not end there.
At the beginning of the year 2021, new floods hit the village of 500 souls and its only business.
“It was difficult not to open but there was a lot of help,” says Julie.
We also went to volunteer with the Red Cross.
We also tried to do click and collect but it didn't work that well here.
"
The period is not totally negative, far from it, since the couple had the joy of welcoming their first child at the end of 2020. “And we also took advantage of the forced closure to do work and redo everything, inside and out. , with a corner for children, ”emphasizes the owner of the premises.
Appilly, this Wednesday.
The owners of the restaurant took advantage of this forced closure to do work on the facade and inside.
LP / HS
It is therefore a brand new restaurant, with 27 seats inside and 20 on the terrace, for brasserie-type cuisine which was able to reopen this Wednesday.
“Simple but homemade dishes, with 100% natural products,” says Jordan, the cook, who had drawn for the recovery a rabbit stew and stuffed chicken balls, in addition to the burgers and pizzas on the menu.
"We have reservations until June 21"
In the small village of Noyonnais, the reopening of the establishment has not gone unnoticed.
"I came from time to time before, and as I passed, I saw that it was open, so I stopped", says José, an inhabitant of La Courneuve (Seine-Saint-Denis), who owns a house. in Appilly.
For this time, he will just have a drink in the bar area, but others are more interested in the catering aspect.
Especially since the possibility of ordering and taking out also made a comeback this Wednesday.
"I came to get burgers, it's more practical to come here and they are better than in the big names", assures a resident of the village accompanied by his son.
Appilly, this Wednesday.
With the reopening, it's also the return of take-out orders at Jo'Cœur.
LP / HS
At 12:45 p.m., a first table of three people was set up outside.
“I followed the restaurant on social networks, but we didn't have time to come when it was open,” explains the father.
And this morning, I went for a coffee and I said to myself that the reopening was an opportunity to come and test the restaurant this afternoon.
We must encourage local trade.
"
A desire shared by many customers.
“We are full tonight and we have reservations until June 21,” rejoices Julie.
Some come from Beauvais, Amiens or Saint-Quentin.
Word of mouth is getting better and better.
“And after having overcome the floods and repeated confinements, it is not the influx of customers that is likely to scare the survivors of Jo'Cœur d'Appilly.