Businesses in region weigh whether to close.
Bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, yoga studios, more deciding what to do, bracing for financial impact
While some small businesses in the region are experiencing a boon in sales amid the coronavirus outbreak, other establishments are bracing for or already seeing a dip in clientele.
Dayne Laskey, co-owner of Tox Brewing Company, said the business “wrestled with” whether to close its taproom at 635 Broad St. in New London, given people are being advised to practice social distancing.
For now, the co-owners have decided to stay open but are encouraging patrons to come in and purchase cans of beers or growlers to go. Laskey and other employees wore latex gloves while working Saturday and were encouraging their customers to pay with credit card instead of cash, if possible.
Plastic cups were on hand for anyone who preferred to drink out of those, and the brewery was not reusing draft glasses under any circumstances. It also changed how staff clean glasses, using an “elevated rinse” so that the glass does not touch the metal rinser, followed by an immediate sanitization of the rinser.
Laskey said in addition to closely monitoring state and federal guidelines, Tox also is following guidance put out by the Brewers Association and the National Restaurant Association.
Laskey said it was business as usual Friday night. About 10 minutes after Tox opened Saturday, a handful of people had showed up at the taproom.
Down the road at CJ Peruvian Bar and Restaurant, owner Rosaura Pedroza said she’s noticed a slight dip in business, but this weekend would be the first real indicator of what impact the coronavirus outbreak would have on her establishment.
“I worry about business. We have a lot of bills to pay,” Pedroza said Saturday afternoon.
She said she also worries about the financial impact on her staff, who in some cases are having to seek child care given schools in the region are closed for at least two weeks, and still have to pay their rent and other bills at a time when they might be bringing in less in tips. She said not knowing how long the situation is going to last adds to the anxiety.
“If we have to close, we have to close,” Pedroza said. “We care about keeping our community and employees, and want them to be safe.”
Some bars and restaurants, such as The Social and Oasis Pub in downtown New London, are advocating for people to buy gift certificates directly from local establishments to use at a later date, saying in Facebook posts that businesses like theirs work on tight margins and it’s not feasible to close their doors for an extended period of time.
Lizzie Sasko, an employee of Dog Watch in Mystic, said by phone Saturday afternoon that business there was “not as crazy as it usually is,” but customers were still coming in. She said she’s fielded several calls from people asking if the restaurant is open. Employees are regularly wiping down menus, tables and every chair once a customer gets up, she said. Already, the restaurant uses covers for its silverware to defend against germs and bacteria.
The constant reminders to wash your hands likely has people avoiding places like bowling alleys. A sign on the door of the Groton Bowling Alley, located at 27 Kings Highway, Saturday afternoon said: “for the health and safety of our patrons and employees we will be closed until further notice.”
Norwich Bowling and Entertainment Center also was closed all weekend. A post on its Facebook page said the center would be monitoring the situation closely and the decision to reopen on Monday would be based on whether there are any further cases reported by the health department and local agencies. The post referenced the first COVID-19 case involving someone with a connection to eastern Connecticut.
“We apologize for having to make this decision but it is in the best interest of safety,” the post says.
Lisa Bragaw, owner of Zen and Now, a yoga and fitness studio in East Lyme, said she made the decision to close her business indefinitely, as of Friday afternoon.
Bragaw said by phone Saturday afternoon that she wants to give the health care system a chance to “get a handle on the situation” and to help keep her clients safe. The decision did not come easily, she said, noting that her studio was packed Friday morning before she closed it, and many who were there said they needed to destress and relieve their anxiety about the outbreak.
She had just ordered a microphone so that she could start doing virtual classes, including on mindfulness and how to ground oneself. She said she also would consider holding classes outdoors, which would enable people to work out a good distance apart, once the weather warms up.
Asked about the financial impact of her decision to close, Bragaw said “it could be devastating,” but, she added, “it’s the right thing to do.”
“If we have to close, we have to close. We care about keeping our community and employees, and want them to be safe.” ROSAURA PEDROZA, OWNER, CJ PERUVIAN BAR AND RESTAURANT