Bars Worry About Take-Out Only, Some Youth Sport Coaches Want To Be Excluded From New COVID Restrictions
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Black Hart Bar in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood is preparing for takeout-only for wine, four and six packs of beer, and bar food. But owner Wes Burdine is worried about public perception of them as a liquor take-out option.
"Getting people to look at us as their local liquor store or beer and wine store hasn't been easy," said Burdine.
Between the stay-at-home order in March and limited capacity all summer, Burdine had to throw out between 15 and 20 unused kegs of beer.
"Which in a normal time is not the end of the world, but when you're scrapping by it's pretty tough to deal with," said Burdine.
RELATED: Gov. Walz Announces Restrictions On Social Gatherings, Restaurants, Gyms, And Youth Sports
Burdine said he hopes more government financial assistance comes this spring. He also hopes Gov. Tim Walz will allow bars to sell to-go cocktails and growlers to improve their takeout sales.
At Legacy Gymnastics in Eden Prairie, the staff is asking Walz not to lump them in with the cancellation of youth sports because the sport is so unique; gymnastics is an individual sport and the space they practice in is large. Their gym in particular is 33,000 square feet.
"Social distancing we can allow that, we do that naturally. This is what our sport does all the time," said Kari Vaughn, head gymnastics coach and owner of Legacy Gymnastics.
Vaughn got emotional on Wednesday, thinking of the future of her business.
"Fear is probably my first and for most [feeling], sadness, scared for my staff, my athletes that I love so much," said Vaughn.
Vaughn's mostly worried about paying her staff while they're shut down.
"We have 30 staff members, 14 are full time and 10, this income is their sole income," said Vaughn.
Vaughn accepts the reality of the crisis we're in right now, but hopes Walz will reconsider ending sports with no contact, like gymnastics.
"Dial us back if you must, but don't shut us down," said Vaughn.
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