TYLER, Texas — On Monday, Governor Greg Abbott announced the first phase of the State of Texas' ongoing plan to safely and strategically reopen while minimizing the spread of COVID-19.
Under Phase I, certain services and activities are allowed to open with limited occupancy, and the Texas Department of State Health Services is issuing minimum standard health protocols for all businesses and individuals to follow.
RELATED: REOPENING TEXAS: What can open on May 1 and what remains closed under Phase I of Gov. Abbott's plan
By way of Gov. Abbott's Executive Order (GA-18), all restaurants, retail shops and movie theaters are permitted to reopen on Friday, May 1. Businesses in counties with more than five confirmed coronavirus cases must limit their capacity to 25% of their listed occupancy. Counties with five or fewer laboratory confirmed cases of COVID-19 may, on an individualized basis, increase occupancy limits to up to 50% for restaurants, retail, shopping malls, museums and libraries, and movie theaters if they meet certain criteria. As of Sunday, May 3, the only East Texas counties with five or fewer confirmed COVID-19 cases are Hopkins County, Rains County and Sabine County.
CBS19 has compiled a list of East Texas businesses who have opened their dining rooms/patios and stores to the public as of Monday, May 4:
ALL LOCATIONS
- CATO Fashions
- Cheddar's
- Chili's
- Cotton Patch Cafe
- Denny's
- East Texas Professional Credit Union
- Goodwill of East Texas, Inc.
- Hobby Lobby
- Jalapeño Tree
- Jason's Deli
- Mercado's
- Olive Garden
- Outback Steakhouse
- Posados
- The Insurance Shop
ATHENS
- Athens Brewing Company
- Benson's Eats & Treats
- Ole West Bean & Burger
- Wawa's
AVINGER
- Five D Cattle Company Steakhouse
BEN WHEELER
- Moore's Store
BIG SANDY
- Circle M Crawfish
BROWNSBORO
- Dot's Place
CANTON
CHANDLER
EDOM
- Brig Street Kitchen & Tap
GILMER
- The Loft Boutique
- Open Range
- La Finca Mexican Restaurant
- Second Hand Rose
- Gilmer Brewing Company
- Gypsy Market
- Trendy Kat Boutique, LLC
- La Carreta Mexican Restaurant Dos
GLADEWATER
- Buttercups Bakery & Cafe
- The Byrd's Nest
- West Pacific Pizza
HALLSVILLE
- Pat's Belle Pepper Cafe
- Main Street Coffee House
HARLETON
- Enoch's Stomp Winery and Vineyard (Will reopen Saturday, May 2)
HENDERSON
- The Fishin' Post Seafood Restaurant
- The Rusty Star Cafe
JACKSONVILLE
JEFFERSON
- Kitt's Kornbread Sandwich & Pie Bar
KILGORE
- Brigitta's Hungarian Restaurant
- Circle Cafe
- Downtown D'Lites
- Edgar's Big Taco No. 2
- Global Graphics
- Loco Meaux
- The Back Porch Stage on Broadway
LAKEPORT
- Duke's Fish Shack
LINDALE
- Brisket Love Barbeque & Icehouse
- Chicken Express
- JT2 Gourmet Burgers & Ranch Market
- Petty's Steak & Catfish
- Texas Music City Grill
LONGVIEW
- Dudley's Cajun Cafe
- El Sombrero No. 1
- Fisherman's Market
- Krawdaddy's
- Longview Mall
- Morgan Abbigail
- Nanny Goat's Cafe & Feed Bin
- Papacita's
- Pietro's (Patio only)
- Racquet & Jog
- The Catch
- Tyler Athletics
LUFKIN
- A Furniture Fetish
- Alex and Frenchy's Bayou Grill
- Angelina Brewing Company
- Cafe Del Rio
- Guacamole's Mexican Grill & Cantina
- Lone Star Charlie's Family Restaurant
- Manhattan Fine Dining Restaurant
- Market to Market
- Red Tulip Rolling Bistro & Toffee Company
- Restoration Bistro
- Rubie & Jane Prom + Homecoming
- The Hole In One Cafe
- Tokyo Japanese Seafood & Steakhouse (Will reopen Tuesday, May 19)
MARSHALL
- Bull Frog Restaurant
- Burkes Outlet
- Central Perks
- Dinner Belle Restaurant
- Don Juan's Mexican Restaurant
- Kay Kay's Place Boutique
- In Japan
- Joe Pine Coffee Co. (Patio only)
- The Brass Trunk
MINEOLA
- Cowburners BBQ & Taproom
- Kitchens Hardware & Deli
- Val's Italian Restaurant & PIzza
NACOGDOCHES
- 1st City Cafe - Fredonia Hotel
- Auntie Pasta's
- Bottlecap Alley Icehouse Grill
- Butcher Boys
- CC's Smokehouse
- Clear Springs
- Decades Vendor Mall
- IHOP
- Kinfolks Diner
- NacBurger
- Taco-Riendo Taqueria
- Thumpers Christian Books & Cafe
PALESTINE
- Home Grill Steakhouse
- Old Magnolia Mercantile
- Pint and Barrel Drafthouse
- Queen St. Grille
- Stockman's Cafe
PITTSBURG
- Mayben's
- The Rustic Arrow
- Southern Blossom Bow-tique
- Parker Drug
REKLAW
- Lake Striker Resort Restaurant
SULPHUR SPRINGS
- Big Smith's BBQ Restaurant
TYLER
- 3 Charritos
- 1836 Texas Kitchen
- Aspen Creek Grill
- Barbara's Florist
- BB Bakes
- Bella Italian Cafe
- Bernard's Mediterranean Restaurant
- blue. house of jewelry
- Boards & Bites Cafe
- Bridgette’s
- Broadway Square Mall
- Bruno's Pizza & Pasta - Old Jacksonville Highway location
- C. Rojo's Taqueria
- Cantina Laredo
- Clear Springs
- Cole & Co.
- Corner Bakery
- Daily Grace Effect
- Dakotas Chophouse
- Daniel Boone's Grill & Tavern
- Designer Consignment of Tyler
- Dog Tags Restaurant & Taproom
- Ellis Mercantile Boutique
- FD's Grill House
- Flavors Daiquiri Cafe
- French Peas Flower Shop
- Golden Corral
- Happy's Fish House
- Harley's
- Hattie Mae's Sum 2 Eat
- Javi's
- Jimmy's Egg
- Jim's Jewelers
- Just Pies
- La Tee Da Flowers
- La Vera
- Lago del Pino
- Lew's Welding Services
- Lola's Handcrafted Kitchen
- Longhorn Steakhouse
- Mama's Restaurant No. 2
- Manny's Tex-Mex Cafe
- Mario's Italian Restaurant
- Mary V's
- Moocho Burrito
- New York Pizza & Past (Dinner only)
- Paciugo Gelato Caffè
- Papacita's
- Ramsey Fritz Jewels
- Racquet & Jog
- Republic Icehouse
- Rega of Paris Consignment Shoppe
- Rhea's Hot Links
- Rick's on the Square
- Roost - Troup Highway location
- Saltgrass Steakhouse
- Shell Shack
- Shogun
- South Broadway Jewelers
- Spur Antiques and Collectables
- Susan Robinson Jewelry
- Swann's Furniture & Design
- Sweet Gourmet
- Texas de Brazil
- Texas Music City Grill
- The Catch
- The Diner
- The Foundry Coffee House
- The Grove
- The House of Wynne Antiques & Gifts
- The Landing on Lake Tyler (Will reopen Saturday, May 2)
- Times Square Grand Slam
- Torchy's Tacos
- Traditions
- Tyler Athletics
- Village Bakery
- Villaggio del Vino
- Walk-On's Bistreaux
- Which Wich
- Yamato (Will reopen Thursday, May 7)
VAN
- Bouquets and Bow
- Soulman's Bar-B-Que
WINNSBORO
- Richie's Grill & Cafe
WINONA
- Tio's Back Porch Restaurant
NOTE: Hours of operation may be different than normal and some restaurants may be catering to reservations or outdoor patio seating only. Please contact the respective establishments for more information.
REOPENING TEXAS - PHASE I
All museums and libraries may open under the same 25% occupancy limitation, but interactive areas of museums must remain closed. State libraries and museums will open by May 1, and local public museums and libraries may reopen only if permitted by the local government. Single-person offices may reopen, as well.
Churches and places of worship remain open. Outdoor sports are allowed to resume so long as no more than four participants are playing together at one time. Certain social distancing practices must also be followed. Local government operations, including county and municipal government operations relating to permitting, recordation, and document-filing services, may reopen as determined by the local government.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has recommended minimum standard health protocols for all individuals, all employers and employees, as well as industry-specific protocols for retailers, retail customers, restaurants, restaurant patrons, movie theaters, movie theater customers, museums and libraries, museum and library customers outdoor sports participants, single-person offices and counties with low COVID-19 counts. These protocols are outlined in the Open Texas Checklists within the governor's report, Texans Helping Texans: The Governor's Report to Open Texas, beginning on page 20.
Phase I will begin Friday and continue until at least Monday, May 18. Meanwhile, Gov. Abbott says he will continue to evaluate the next steps for the state.