so they can do a bit of repair and restoration in their restaurants,” she said. “Because traditionally January and February are the slowest months of the year for our restaurants it is not uncommon that many of them take winter breaks. Winter breaks are normal and a practice that goes back before the pandemic, Anderson said. “This can be a vaccine card or a clear photo of the card on your phone and a one-time $1 membership fee.” Winter downtimeĪfter the holiday rush, some establishments close for days or weeks to give their employees time to rest and to take care of in-house tasks. Anyone 21 and older just needs to present a valid ID, with proof of vaccine,” Nichols said.
Guests should be prepared to register at the door if visiting for the first time.
Many bars operate under the private bar categorization, Gray said, including Little Jumbo. More: Omicron in NC: Buncombe County hospitals see gradual uptick in COVID cases More: Seasonal cocktails to lift your spirits this winter in Asheville “Our priority continues to be the health and happiness of our staff, all of our guests and communities, and believe that the added proof of COVID-19 vaccination to become a member of Bottle Riot is a small yet crucial measure to take to do so,” Nichols said. The law set for bars that serve spirits but don’t have restaurant kitchens serving food, said co-owner Lauri Nichols. 27, Bottle Riot updated its guidelines to include the vaccination requirement.Īlso, per North Carolina law, guests will have to register as “members” of Bottle Riot to be admitted since the bar now sells spirits and is considered a “private bar.” Previously, membership had not been necessary since the bar only served only wine and beer. “On the other hand, I know there are people who don’t care to go to restaurants like that. “From the calls we get at AIR, I think there are people who are seeking out those restaurants,” Anderson said.
There has been some negative feedback from guests, while others have expressed that the vaccination verification was the reason they decided to visit, he said. “I hear that more places are starting to require that now, just in the past few days.” Asheville Brewing, they were one of the major trailblazers there, and The Crucible,” Gray said. Little Jumbo instated a proof of vaccination rule in August. And temperature checks will be required for all guests. Once reopened, the restaurant will follow suit with some other Asheville restaurants and bars and require guests to show proof of vaccination for entry. 4, according to the restaurant’s website. The restaurant has closed and is expected to resume business on Jan. Holeman and Finch, a restaurant that opened earlier in the month on the South Slope, has been closed for more than a week, due to the pandemic. “I look forward to the day, which I hope is no more than a few years away, that this is all in the past.” Stricter COVID protocols The business interruption insurance hasn’t really done much for anybody at any point, and I doubt it will now. “It’s definitely a revenue hit, for sure. Also, Little Jumbo has canceled its New Year’s Eve party and issued refunds for ticketholders.
The latest closure is taking another significant toll on the business’s revenue. The bar opened in April 2021, and this is the first time it’s been forced to close due to the virus since then. Little Jumbo was closed for 387 days after the initial pandemic shutdown in March 2020, he said.