{"id":167478,"date":"2023-10-30T00:24:34","date_gmt":"2023-10-29T21:24:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/"},"modified":"2023-10-30T00:24:34","modified_gmt":"2023-10-29T21:24:34","slug":"restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/","title":{"rendered":"Restaurant serves up food, comfort during Lewiston manhunt"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/u>2\/2<\/span>
\n
\n The Best Thai II restaurant, which opened in the hours after the Lewiston shooting and was one of the first local businesses serving customers during the nearby shelter-in-place order, is pictured in Bath, Maine, U.S., October 27, 2023. REUTERS\/Gabriella <\/span>
\n<\/i>
\n2\/2<\/span><\/u><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Gabriella Borter<\/p>\n

LEWISTON, Maine (Reuters) — At Best Thai II in coastal Maine, the phone has been ringing off the hook.<\/p>\n

Since a gunman killed 18 people this week, shocking residents and sparking a sweeping manhunt for the suspect, an eerie silence has descended on this stretch of southeastern Maine. <\/p>\n

Grocery stores, gas stations, hardware shops and schools have closed. Streets have often been devoid of traffic, except for patrolling police cars. Few people are out and about.<\/p>\n

But at Best Thai II — one of the only restaurants open this week — business has been bustling since owner Pongsakorn Hanjitsuwan opened his doors hours after the shootings.<\/p>\n

«Obviously we’re scared. We’re just like any other human out there,» said Hanjitsuwan, whose family has owned the restaurant in the town of Bath for more than a decade. «But people have got to eat, and we’ve got to make a living, so we kind of have to just push through.» <\/p>\n

Hanjitsuwan opened his restaurant after weighing the risk with staff. Located next to the police station, Hanjitsuwan figured staff and customers were probably in a safe spot. Besides, he said, Bath was a 30-minute drive from the epicenter of the manhunt for Robert Card, 40, the suspect in the fatal shootings at a local bowling alley and bar.<\/p>\n

For regulars, the restaurant has been a comfort; a place not only to find food but to mix with others sharing the shock and grief that has descended on the region.<\/p>\n

«This place is like home to us, and I was gratified to see that they were open,» said Maria, a 78-year-old Bath resident and former restaurant industry worker who declined to give her last name. She stopped in for a pad thai lunch with a friend on Friday. <\/p>\n

Since Thursday, business has been «nonstop» between walk-in diners and calls for pick-up, Hanjitsuwan said. He and his staff worked late into the night to serve every customer — the regulars, but also travelers and news crews from all over the country who came to chronicle the latest American gun violence tragedy.<\/p>\n

Maine authorities said they were lifting stay-at-home orders on Friday evening, although a local cellphone alert warned residents to «remain vigilant» and said businesses had the option to open or remain closed. <\/p>\n

Some have begun to venture out.<\/p>\n

Toni Martin, 50, waited 45 minutes in line at McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD<\/span>) in Auburn, Maine, when it opened on Friday, desperate to buy coffee and a meal after she and her husband had «picked at whatever was in the house» to eat on Thursday. <\/p>\n

The wait at McDonald’s reminded her of the pandemic, Martin said, when people rushed to stock up on food because so many stores were closing.<\/p>\n

«It was almost like an urgency, like it was their last meal,» she said. <\/p>\n

In Auburn, the town adjacent to Lewiston, the checkout line at Roy’s Foodland wrapped around the store all through Thursday. The family-owned store, opened 48 years ago, was the only option as all the big chains were shuttered. <\/p>\n

By Friday, the shelves were nearly bare. Still, the crowds kept coming.<\/p>\n

«My store looks like it’s been ransacked,» said owner Michael Roy, who was greeting customers by name. <\/p>\n

One woman asked him if he had bread. He promised a delivery would be coming in once his bakery supplier reopened.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Roy, like his Auburn neighbors, said he was shocked and reeling from the mass shooting. He said opening Roy’s Foodland on Thursday was a matter-of-fact decision.<\/p>\n

«I could either twiddle my thumbs or I could do something to help people and open,» he said. «People thanked me all day long.» <\/p>\n\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

2\/2 The Best Thai II restaurant, which opened in the hours after the Lewiston shooting and was one of the first local businesses serving customers during the nearby shelter-in-place order, is pictured in Bath, Maine, U.S., October 27, 2023. REUTERS\/Gabriella 2\/2   By Gabriella Borter LEWISTON, Maine (Reuters) — At Best Thai II in coastal …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":167480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3343],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nRestaurant serves up food, comfort during Lewiston manhunt - BiznesSMI - \u043a\u043e\u0442\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043a\u0438 \u0432\u0430\u043b\u044e\u0442, \u0430\u043a\u0446\u0438\u0438, \u0444\u043e\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0441, \u0438\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043a\u0441\u044b, \u0430 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0436\u0435 \u0442\u0435\u0445\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0437, \u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0438\u043a\u0438, \u0444\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043d\u0441\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0435 \u043d\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0438 \u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430.<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"ru_RU\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Restaurant serves up food, comfort during Lewiston manhunt - BiznesSMI - \u043a\u043e\u0442\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043a\u0438 \u0432\u0430\u043b\u044e\u0442, \u0430\u043a\u0446\u0438\u0438, \u0444\u043e\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0441, \u0438\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043a\u0441\u044b, \u0430 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0436\u0435 \u0442\u0435\u0445\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0437, \u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0438\u043a\u0438, \u0444\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043d\u0441\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0435 \u043d\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0438 \u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"2\/2 The Best Thai II restaurant, which opened in the hours after the Lewiston shooting and was one of the first local businesses serving customers during the nearby shelter-in-place order, is pictured in Bath, Maine, U.S., October 27, 2023. REUTERS\/Gabriella 2\/2   By Gabriella Borter LEWISTON, Maine (Reuters) — At Best Thai II in coastal …\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BiznesSMI - \u043a\u043e\u0442\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u043a\u0438 \u0432\u0430\u043b\u044e\u0442, \u0430\u043a\u0446\u0438\u0438, \u0444\u043e\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0441, \u0438\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043a\u0441\u044b, \u0430 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0436\u0435 \u0442\u0435\u0445\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0437, \u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0438\u043a\u0438, \u0444\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043d\u0441\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0435 \u043d\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0438 \u0430\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-10-29T21:24:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/a48d97d0e9b55de5f47df38fb76d0d76-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"\u041f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435\u0440\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044f \u0434\u043b\u044f \u0447\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 \u043c\u0438\u043d\u0443\u0442\u044b\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/\",\"name\":\"BiznesSMI - \\u043a\\u043e\\u0442\\u0438\\u0440\\u043e\\u0432\\u043a\\u0438 \\u0432\\u0430\\u043b\\u044e\\u0442, \\u0430\\u043a\\u0446\\u0438\\u0438, \\u0444\\u043e\\u0440\\u0435\\u043a\\u0441, \\u0438\\u043d\\u0434\\u0435\\u043a\\u0441\\u044b, \\u0430 \\u0442\\u0430\\u043a\\u0436\\u0435 \\u0442\\u0435\\u0445\\u043d\\u0438\\u0447\\u0435\\u0441\\u043a\\u0438\\u0439 \\u0430\\u043d\\u0430\\u043b\\u0438\\u0437, \\u0433\\u0440\\u0430\\u0444\\u0438\\u043a\\u0438, \\u0444\\u0438\\u043d\\u0430\\u043d\\u0441\\u043e\\u0432\\u044b\\u0435 \\u043d\\u043e\\u0432\\u043e\\u0441\\u0442\\u0438 \\u0438 \\u0430\\u043d\\u0430\\u043b\\u0438\\u0442\\u0438\\u043a\\u0430.\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"ru-RU\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/#primaryimage\",\"inLanguage\":\"ru-RU\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/a48d97d0e9b55de5f47df38fb76d0d76.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/a48d97d0e9b55de5f47df38fb76d0d76.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":600},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/\",\"name\":\"Restaurant serves up food, comfort during Lewiston manhunt - BiznesSMI - \\u043a\\u043e\\u0442\\u0438\\u0440\\u043e\\u0432\\u043a\\u0438 \\u0432\\u0430\\u043b\\u044e\\u0442, \\u0430\\u043a\\u0446\\u0438\\u0438, \\u0444\\u043e\\u0440\\u0435\\u043a\\u0441, \\u0438\\u043d\\u0434\\u0435\\u043a\\u0441\\u044b, \\u0430 \\u0442\\u0430\\u043a\\u0436\\u0435 \\u0442\\u0435\\u0445\\u043d\\u0438\\u0447\\u0435\\u0441\\u043a\\u0438\\u0439 \\u0430\\u043d\\u0430\\u043b\\u0438\\u0437, \\u0433\\u0440\\u0430\\u0444\\u0438\\u043a\\u0438, \\u0444\\u0438\\u043d\\u0430\\u043d\\u0441\\u043e\\u0432\\u044b\\u0435 \\u043d\\u043e\\u0432\\u043e\\u0441\\u0442\\u0438 \\u0438 \\u0430\\u043d\\u0430\\u043b\\u0438\\u0442\\u0438\\u043a\\u0430.\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/#primaryimage\"},\"datePublished\":\"2023-10-29T21:24:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-10-29T21:24:34+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/#\/schema\/person\/5d8353a37f91122aa6e3893c3f66436a\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"ru-RU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/restaurant-serves-up-food-comfort-during-lewiston-manhunt\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"\\u0413\\u043b\\u0430\\u0432\\u043d\\u0430\\u044f \\u0441\\u0442\\u0440\\u0430\\u043d\\u0438\\u0446\\u0430\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Restaurant serves up food, comfort during Lewiston manhunt\"}]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/#\/schema\/person\/5d8353a37f91122aa6e3893c3f66436a\",\"name\":\"Admin\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167478"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=167478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/167478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/167480"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=167478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=167478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kupitiblog.store\/576r\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=167478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}