Pumping up business: Blow-up dolls fill empty restaurant seats

TAYLORS, S.C. – A South Carolina restaurant is using pumping up business in an unusual way.

The Open Hearth in Taylors reopened this week after the coronavirus outbreak forced it to close its doors for two months.

Rather than blocking off tables to achieve social distancing or making sure customers are seated at least six feet apart, owner Paula Starr Melehes decided to have some fun.

She's filled seats throughout the restaurant with blow-up dolls.

"They are very humorous and they have nice faces," Melehes says. "The ladies have pretty make up on and the wigs were gifts from different people."

“It’s a concept that is not frightening to people and it gives them something light to think about instead of virus and x’s everywhere,” she adds.


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