Eateries, bars adapt to Cuomo order
KINGSTON, N.Y. » The owners of some restaurants and bars in the area say Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s directive to serve only takeout and delivery customers to help slow the spread of the coronavirus presents a hardship, but that they’d rather err on the side of safety.
The ban on dine-in service was to take effect at 8 p.m. Monday.
Tommy Keegan, owner of Keegan Ales in Kingston, said the move will hurt his business not only because he will have to close his brew pup on St. James Street in Midtown but also because his sale of beer in kegs to restaurants accounts for 25 to 30 percent of his business.
Still, Keegan feels Cuomo made the right decision.
“I understand the need of the governor to err on the side of caution, and it’s probably the right decision, but it’s a painful pill to swallow,” he said.
Keegan said he has 22 full-time employees and doesn’t want to lay anyone off, but he might go to a reduced work week for his staff.
Keegan said his license allows him to deliver food and beer, but he isn’t sure if it’s worth trying delivery.
Keegan said if the closure lasts a week or so, he can “suck it up,” but if it lasts three months, that’s another story.
He said Keegan Ales already took a big hit from the cancellation of the Kingston St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Shamrock Run over virus fears.
“It’s a day that makes up for the quiet times of the winter,” Keegan said.
Dallas Hot Wieners — which has Ulster County locations in Kingston, Lake Katrine and Saugerties
— plans to offer curbside pickup and delivery for the first time ever.
“It’s going to be a little bit of a change of pace for us,” said co-owner Fred Tampasis. “It’s the first time we’ve tried delivery in 45 years.”
Tampasis said he’ll keep the wait staff on as delivery people instead of working with an online delivery company like DoorDash.
Still, he anticipates Dallas Hot Wieners will take a big hit because dine-in revenue accounts for about 75 percent of its businesses.
Elenie Loizou, owner of the Dietz Stadium Diner on North Front Street in Uptown Kingston and president of the Kingston Uptown Business Association, said she’s formulating a plan for the diner, which gets 70 percent of its revenue from dine-in customers, and also will work with other Uptown restaurants and businesses that have taken a hit recently.
Loizou said she wants to help the community while also keeping her employees and customers safe.
“Their our family,” she said.
Loizou said she’s confident in the diner’s ability to pull through.
“We’re going to keep going on,” she said.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said Monday he plans to reach out to business owners affected by the coronavirus during an online town hall at 10 a.m. Tuesday.
“As a former business owner myself, I know this policy puts even more pressure on our local businesses,” Ryan said in a prepared statement. But, he added, “taking bold action now will save lives.”
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