Erica and Jason Skinner, with Rain, are pictured inside Skinner's Kitchen, located at 120 Foundry Alley inside the Pearl City Arts Building in Jamestown. Plans to move to a new location have been halted due to COVID-19. P-J photo by Dennis Phillips

Plans to move into a new location have been put on hold for one city restaurant following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

Jason Skinner, Skinner’s Kitchen owner, said he was about to move his restaurant, which is located inside the Pearl City Arts Building in Jamestown, to the former location of the Chadakoin Club and The Q prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“About two weeks before the shutdown happened, we had signed the lease for the old location of The Q,” Skinner said. “We were scheduled to move in April 1. We were getting things ready when we got put on stand sill until this is over.”

Along with not being able to move into his new location, Skinner had scheduled two comedians to perform at the restaurant during their first-ever Saturday night event. However, the shutdown was ordered two days before the comedians were scheduled to perform inside the restaurant’s dining room where there is a stage.

Skinner also said he cannot receive a loan from the federal stimulus package payment protection program because he does not have credit. “We started this restaurant with our life savings and now there is no help for us,” he said.

Skinner said his restaurant is still open, but he had to scale back the hours. The Skinner’s Kitchen is open from 4-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. He said every Friday there is a fish fry special for $9.99.

Hesaid the restaurant, which opened in December, was doing fine before the pandemic. He said the biggest problem was people having trouble finding the restaurant, which is inside the Pearl City Arts Building, with the entrance to the building along Foundry Alley.

“We are off the beaten path here,” Skinner said. “Where we were didn’t have a window front. That is why we wanted to change locations. When people hear The Q or The Chadakoin Club, people know where those businesses were located. The new place will be wonderful and we will generate three times the business. We are partners with DoorDash and Uber and their drivers would call us all the time saying they can’t find us.”

Skinner said the landlord to his new location has been generous, and they still plan to move Skinner’s Kitchen to the West Second Street location once the pandemic is over.

“Once things can reopen we are going to have a grand reopening,” he said. “I just want people to give us a call and try our food. All small businesses need the help.”

Despite the troubles, Skinner said a couple weeks ago he made a breakfast donation to the Jamestown police and fire departments. “We wanted to do something nice for the community, my wife (Erica) and I,” he said.

For more information on the restaurant, call 294-9127.