Lucky Reopens for Phase Two!
Hello friends!
This is gonna be a long one, so have patience with me. It's a strange new world we're living in!
Today, NYC enters Phase Two of the mid-pandemic "reopening." I say "mid" because we are nowhere near through this pandemic. Yet here we are, also "mid" in our reopening. It is a scary situation. As a small business owner, forced to close for months, I am eager to survive but not so excited about what that might entail, including the possibility of people I love getting sick or dying as a result of visiting MY bar. Gulp.
The safety guidelines the city and state have provided are so broad and so vague as to be almost useless. Each type of business is totally different and each bar within the bar industry is completely different as well. An establishment below street level, for instance, with dodgy ventilation, is a whole different situation as a bar with windows and doors that provide ample ventilation. But that's all about Phase Three anyway. Today is only Phase Two, which allows for outdoor drinking and dining. And luckily, Lucky HAS outdoor space!
My back yard will be OPEN! And I've applied for sidewalk/curbside tables as well. The total seating I'm approved for is about 28 people. Plus I am still allowed to sell to-go beverages. So the question is: How safe is my seating? I have three picnic tables in my yard and spaces are cleared to seat up to 10 people "in one party." That seems excessive to me, so I am planning on seating a maximum of six at each table. Plus I have a wonderful swing that seats two. Out in front of the bar I'll have a small two-top and, if there aren't any cars parked there, two high-tops that will seat three each.
But the yard. How safe will it be out there? I read all the information I can on virus transmission and it seems that being outdoors is the safest. But to make being out there even SAFER, my plan is to take reservations for each table. If I get three different groups wanting reservations, I will stagger them by one hour and have a two-hour minimum so that no one is out there with "strangers" for more than one hour. It will require more oversight but that's a minor adjustment to make to help people feel more protected.
I'm posting about this here because, as I've stated, this is a scary time. I'd rather share my space with people who understand rules for safety. I prefer customers who are able to grasp that even with all safety protocols in place, life can still involve levels of risk. Fortunately, Lucky has a rabidly loyal family of regulars, our "Gallery of Weirdos," so we simply don't attract that many "normals." Not having any TV screens, carrying Bud Light or Red Bull, or otherwise catering to what I consider to be the mainstream, the muggles usually self-select out. So...safer? Honestly, I just don't want to get spit on if I ask someone to wear a mask while ordering.
All of this said, I am interested in hearing your thoughts. If you think I'm crazy for even being open, have at me. If you have additional suggestions for safety, please send them over. And if you'd like to make a reservation, let me know! I really, REALLY cannot wait to see everyone!
Much love, health and safety!
Your Proprietrix, Abby Ehmann