GLEN CARBON - The Sports Academy may not be having their regular sporting program at this time, but the restaurant part of the business is now offering curbside service at its location in Glen Carbon, and is currently doing a very brisk business.
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The restaurant side started providing curbside service two weeks ago, and thus far, things have gone along quite well.
"We've been doing this for the last couple of weeks, and it's going pretty well and picking up steam," said TSA general manager Jared McRae.
Curbside service is available at TSA from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and the menu consists of spare ribs, chicken minis, burgers, various appetizers, and both chicken wings and tenders. The wings, tenders and minis are the favorites on the menu so far, and there's also both kids and family combo meals that are available as well.
"We've been busy between 4:30 and 6:30, but it's nothing we can't handle," McRae said, "and we've been seeing people we haven't seen in a while, and lots of gracious customers who are happy to see us again."
In fact, many people and families are taking advantage of using the parking lot to have family picnics and tailgate-like parties, as people are starting to get out again following the gradual lifting of the state of Illinois' stay-at-home orders and also, the gradual reopening of the state during the pandemic.
"We even have people eating out at a tailgate," McRae said, "even having a little picnic, I guess you could say."
The most important part is seeing both familiar regulars retuning to TSA, and putting their employees back to work after having been idle during the pandemic.
"We're making up sales," McRae said, "but the biggest point is helping to put some of our employees back to work. They're having fun along with making some money, and seeing friends and faces that they haven't seen in a while."
By the end of the month, McRae hopes to get an outdoor dining area opened up, which would help his business out even more.
"Every little thing helps, of course," McRae said. "and by the end of May, we hope to get outdoor dining going, get customers back that we miss, and miss us, and get back to an outdoor sit-down meal."
Eventually, the sporting leagues and activities will return to TSA, and McRae is looking forward to that day as well.
"I hope that it goes through, and everything goes through to allow that," McRae said, "and allows us to open the sports facility down the road, and get some games going."
