SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Under Utah’s phased reopening plan, hair salons, gyms, restaurants and bars were allowed to reopen Friday.
The Cheers to You bar in Salt Lake City opened for one hour Friday at midnight to celebrate its return. Owner Bob Brown says that brief time was “a straight-up learning curve” that made him realize he needs to hire two or three new people just to enforce social distancing guidelines. He said that’s in addition to hiring three new people to replace workers who aren’t comfortable coming back to work.
Brown has laid out a grid of colored tape on his bar floor directing people where they can walk and stand. He has a no-touch thermometer he’s required to use to take his employees’ temperature and he’s considering using it to test customers before they come in.
People are supposed to wear masks when they’re not sipping their drinks, and groups should be limited to no more than 10 people, each separated by 6 feet.
Brown anticipates getting back about 30% of the business he had before the pandemic - while having to spend more money on staff to meet health requirements.
He thinks he’ll be able to survive since he’s been in business for 22 years and owns the building where the bar is located, but he predicts newer bars will have to go out of business – saying the tough times financially haven’t yet been felt.
