Tulsa Restaurant Sells Groceries Amid State's Coronavirus Outbreak

A Tulsa restaurant is temporarily filling a new role in town as it goes from full-time restaurant to selling groceries.

Roosevelt’s has made a name for itself in Tulsa. You might go for the food, which is made with ingredients from Oklahoma farms or the bread which they make in house or maybe the craft beer but now, people are also going to the restaurant for their groceries.

"It has turned into a real grocery store to where the neighbors are like ‘When you guys reopen you are still going to do the market right?’ I'm like, you guys continue using it then sure," said Josh Royal, with Roosevelt’s.

There is a limited menu online, so people can still pick up some of their favorite dishes but there is also another menu full of groceries- fruit, vegetables, spices, meat and yes, even toilet paper.

"Hasty Bake brought charcoal and Double Shot brought coffee beans, a lot of local farmers, I mean, we use Fisher's eggs," said Royal, "I didn't anticipate having a grocery store but here we are."

Roosevelt’s said this market has prevented them from having to waste food, they say it is helping them keep some staff members on the clock and it is filling a need for customers.

"The customers were asking for it because they don't want to go to the grocery store," said Royal, "We build their groceries for them and bring it out to their car, they can pay over the phone, it is a contactless interaction."

Roosevelt’s is a passion project for Josh and his partners. They said they are trying to roll with the changes, as they wait to open their doors again.

"I have seen strength in so many of my employees- that chefs that are building a bagging grocery, that are used to designing, creating world class dishes- these guys are very talented, and they are now, they are bagging groceries. We all are," said Royal.