That’s a loaded question these days…and one I kind of dread. It’s complicated and hard to answer.
We reopened for the second time in 2020 on September 16. Not because it’s the right thing to do – it clearly isn’t – but because we have no choice.
Being open means we are regularly interacting with guests who are generally not wearing masks once they are seated. While we are taking every possible precaution it’s only a matter of time before one of us becomes infected. Every week local news outlets report on the bars, restaurants, and retail stores that had a COVID exposure. Will we be on the list next week? Or will it be the week after?
The alternative is closing our doors until there is a vaccine. But a business can’t stay afloat with no income, right? I shouldn’t have to spell that out… and yet somehow, we are supposed to keep our business alive after being completely closed for 5 months and then reopening at less than 50% capacity. We will not be operating normally for a year, bare minimum. How is that supposed to work? Many of us got aid early in the pandemic, but it was only enough to survive a contained, 6-month crisis. In reality, we are likely looking at 2 years before we can operate normally and even then we may be faced with a public who has emerged from the crisis with permanently altered drinking and dining habits.
We sacrificed everything to launch this business and we’re not willing to give up on it without a fight. But, it would be awesome if we had an option that sucked less than A. Being open and risking the health of customers and staff or B. Closing our doors for good.
We have consigned ourselves to the Sisyphean task of trying to make this absurd, impossible situation work without going bankrupt or being responsible for a super-spreader event.
I am not afraid of hard work. I have been an entrepreneur for 20+ years, and have always done whatever it takes. I enjoy problem-solving and I love figuring out a better way to do things. But being forced to reinvent my business model on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis is emotionally and physically exhausting. I feel like I suddenly woke up in a terrible reality show:
The 443 COVID Deathmatch: EXTREME EDITION!
Every “solution” to managing the current situation seems to create 3 new problems and keeping the doors open becomes more expensive and labor-intensive each week. My staff has adapted to a complete change in our service model, from being hired as “bartenders” to 100% table service, but still making their own drinks most of the time. They face a constantly changing work environment, which is disconcerting for even the most seasoned hospitality professionals – it’s like it’s your first week on the job, except every week is like that. Honestly, if my core crew wasn’t as good as they are, we would have crumbled weeks ago.
I have kept a positive attitude through most of the COVID saga, but the events of the past few weeks have been crushing. We are putting in a superhuman effort just to tread water…and I freely admit I am starting to crack.
I have not written an in-depth blog post in a while, so here is a peek into our current reality.
Reservations
Reservations are necessary to manage the number of people showing up at our door and they allow us to assign seats and prevent guests from milling around when they arrive. Also, reservations are an unholy nightmare.
It is not unusual for us to fill a date weeks ahead of time only to lose half or more of the tables in the days leading up. I scramble to fill them, and it’s not unusual to lose a percentage of those reservations too. No shows are common. In a perfect world, I would be able to charge a non-refundable deposit, but it’s not a common practice in Syracuse and I’m sure it would make getting the reservations in the first place more difficult. Partial no shows are even more common. That may not sound like a big deal, but when a reservation is missing part of their party and we don’t know ahead of time, we lose our chance to pull the table apart and fill it with a paying customer. Just last week we had a night that was fully reserved, or so we thought. So many tables were missing people that our capacity went from 40% down to about 28%. Odd-numbered parties of 1, 3 or 5 have the same effect – we lose the extra seat at the table for the night, reducing our capacity yet again.
We have had nights where we had to turn away walk-ups even though we were at 20-25% capacity – a combination of odd-numbered parties and partial no shows.
In normal times, none of this would be a big deal. But with the reduced capacity, every single seat MATTERS.
Not having a bare minimum number of reservations means we have to cancel and not open at all. I can’t drag in my staff, a musician, and my sound tech to perform for 8 people, but it’s a financial hit every time we have to cancel a night. We could probably scrape by at this capacity if we had 4-5 solid nights every week, but we’re only averaging 1-2.
Assigned seating is fun too, especially when a guest arrives and immediately has an issue with their table because of a seating request they didn’t communicate when they made their reservation. It’s difficult and not always possible to change the table assignments on the fly, and it’s no fun starting the night off with an angry guest. We always do our best to accommodate, but we’re not mind-readers.
Managing this whole process is easily the most difficult and time-consuming part of running this business right now.
Outdoor Seating
We are extremely lucky to have an outdoor patio space that has been a big hit with our customers. But, that comes with a cost. Setting up the patio takes hours of labor, and then it has to be broken down at the end of the night. Waiting on tables outside means we’re covering a lot of extra ground, so it takes more staff to manage the same number of tables than if we were inside.
Keeping people warm on chilly fall nights requires propane heaters. We managed to buy 6 of them and borrow a couple more, so we have to purchase a lot of 20lb propane tanks, keep them full, and make sure to have backups on hand at all times.
A couple of weeks ago I figured out how to increase our seating on the patio by relocating our 2 server stations, fully opening the patio gate and taking over the smoking lounge. We were able to gain 8 tables, which is huge – but that meant adding on additional staff and it adds even more time to our set up and break down. At a certain point, the revenue we gain is a wash once you factor in all the extra labor. It also complicates reservations. Before, we had about the same number of seats inside and out, so we could change our game plan at the last minute pretty seamlessly. Now, we have significantly more tables outside, but I can’t count on nice weather this late in the year. If we’re able to be outside, it’s a mad scramble to fill the extra seats.
If we want to continue using the patio, we need to construct some kind of pavilion with a roof, but we just don’t have the funds available at this point. We were excited to hear the county launched a program giving $5000 grants to help restaurants winterize their outdoor areas, but they inexplicably set it up as a matching grant. They will reimburse you for 50% of what you spend, up to $5000. So let’s say we wanted to construct a pavilion or buy a large tent with a price tag of about $10,000. We would have to spend the 10k before they would consider giving us the $5000. How many restaurants do you think have that kind of money lying around right now? Also, you can’t submit for anything you purchased prior to 10/1…so I can’t even submit the invoice for the propane heaters because I got them at the end of September before they disappeared completely. This program is essentially worthless to us.
And not for nothing, but how long can we make sipping cocktails outside during a frigid CNY winter “fun”?
Executive Orders Gone Wrong
Trying to get people through our doors takes a dedicated effort under normal circumstances. Now, we’re somehow supposed to do it without being able to mention anything on social media due to the governor’s ban on advertising live music. We are set up at just 40% capacity, so it should be easy to fill the room, right? Not so much… we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. Most of our customer base believes in science and trusts medical experts, so many of them aren’t comfortable going out in a social setting yet – and I don’t blame them.
Since we can’t advertise, everything is done individually by private message or text. It’s extraordinarily labor-intensive and does absolutely nothing to keep people safe from the virus.
We’re not allowed to charge a cover or ticket price for live music, so we’ve had to resort to passing around a “musical donation” bucket, something we never thought we would do. We’ve always believed in paying artists fairly, and we need to charge a fee in order to make that happen. The uncertainty of the donation model adds a lot of stress to the situation…sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
For every customer who generously throws more in the bucket than we would have charged, there is another who pulls out a fist full of bills and reluctantly peels off $1, or worse – simply waives us off saying, “No, I’m good”. If we don’t collect enough to cover what I would normally pay, I have to make the difference up out of our limited capacity bar sales. Every time that happens, it makes live music more untenable.
I thought by the fall we would be able to host reduced capacity shows with touring artists who are based in the Northeast, ideally doing 2 seatings a night and maybe even multiple nights. I was counting on them to keep us afloat through the winter. But the governor’s non-sensical ban on ticketing makes that impossible.
The mandatory food with alcohol rule is a mixed bag. On one hand, we’re getting food orders we might not have gotten otherwise. On the other, it forces the entire room to order food at exactly the same time. We don’t have a real kitchen or even a dedicated food area – just a 48″ cold prep table behind the bar – so getting the food out in a timely manner under this new rule is a massive challenge. We’ve had to adapt by adding a couple of items that can be plated and sent out quickly, but it’s still a work in progress.
So Much Laundry…
One of my cost-cutting measures was to pause our linen service. The company we were using was a giant pain in the ass anyway, they only seemed to be able to come at 7am on the day we’re closed. But it means I’m laundering bar rags, microfiber towels, tablecloths and fuzzy lap blankets for the patio at home just about every day and transporting them back and forth constantly. <Ugh!>
The Mask Police
As the pandemic wears on, a lot of people are getting complacent. In the beginning, everyone was anxious to follow the rules. These days, we follow people around all night reminding them to put their mask back on and telling them they must remain seated. It’s super-stressful because the stakes are so damn high… if someone shares a photo of a maskless guest standing at another table, it could lead to an SLA complaint and potentially a huge fine.
Nobody in our place is doing this maliciously – they are just tired of the rules and excited to see friends again. We get it. But we still have to stay in compliance.
A Special Place in Hell
Somehow, in the middle of all this, we have guests who think it’s perfectly okay to stiff our servers or leave a 5% tip. Did you know that servers are required to claim a percentage of their sales whether they are tipped or not? Our staff is working twice as hard for less money and I’m incredulous anyone thinks this is acceptable.
Speaking of Bad Behavior…
Last week we had a guest berate one of the girls because she wanted to order dinner and she was upset we don’t offer it. Lots of condescending attitude and eye-rolling, along with the comment “What do you mean you don’t have a dinner menu?? Can’t you handle DINNER???”
Actually, KAREN, we don’t have a kitchen. Literally. We are not, nor have we ever been, a full-service restaurant. Of course we offer food, it’s a requirement of our liquor license. We have a yummy selection of hearty grazing boards. But if being able to order “dinner” is a deal-breaker, perhaps you should make sure a venue offers it before you come out and torture waitstaff over something they have no control over.
I know dealing with a wretched customer here and there comes with the territory, but they are now a higher percentage of the room. Our old capacity was 88, so if we had a full room and someone was a jerk or didn’t tip, the other 86 people more than made up for it – overall, it would still be a great night. Now, we’re lucky to have 30 people in the room. If 2 tables don’t tip, another is mad I didn’t seat them near their friends and yet another flips out because I can’t produce a hot, 3-course meal from a cold prep table, well…now you’re talking about a quarter to a third of the room. It’s pretty discouraging, especially given the extraordinary effort it takes just to be open right now.
I know the sudden surge in terrible behavior is not unique to our place because I’m hearing similar horror stories from friends in all kinds of other businesses…the pressure of navigating this extended crisis with no end in sight seems to be taking its toll on the public. I suppose we’ve been spoiled by having such a lovely regular crowd – we’ve had almost no problems up until recently, and when it happens it’s always with someone new to our room.
Staff Drama
In an industry known for high turnover, I’ve always been grateful for our relatively stable team. Aside from some notable hiring mistakes, our staff tends to stick around and I know I can count on them no matter what.
But, the COVID-19 crisis has been difficult for everyone. With the constant stress and anxiety, the cracks in our team have been exposed and deepened. I’ve been so consumed with my own massive workload that I was caught off guard by what was happening with my team – including the abrupt departure of someone I depended on, which has piled her tasks back onto my plate.
The Numbers Game
Not surprisingly, it’s virtually impossible to break even right now. Our pre-COVID low-water mark for sales is now the goal we strive to reach each night – and we don’t always get there. All the planets have to be aligned to get to net-zero. Each week is a juggling game – which bills can we pay, which ones are we pushing off? Is it worth trying to be open at all?
Unfortunately, a temporary closure doesn’t stop the bills from coming in. Other than payroll and replenishing inventory, everything else stays the same whether we’re open or not.
At this point, having a “good” week means I can cover payroll and replenish our inventory. And having a “good” week is dependent on an elusive, magical combination of booking the correct band, the band having a crowd that will be willing to attend a show inside and/or good weather so we can be outside.
Junkies, Thieves and Lowlifes
In the midst of the daily challenge of trying to keep all the plates in the air spinning, we had our first theft. Aren’t we lucky?
A junkie who lives in the neighborhood got into the gated back parking lot and our patio area and helped himself to a couple of brand new electric heaters, 3 new propane tanks, some hand tools and a few other random items.
A week later, a band we were hosting for the first time brought this piece of garbage into our room. He is the boyfriend of a band member’s daughter, and after enjoying our hospitality all evening, he took a red Sharpie into the men’s room and tagged it from front to back, then went outside and defaced more of our property.
WTC stands for “White Trash Crew”, in case you were wondering.
We know exactly who both of these idiots are, but holding them accountable has been made difficult by the reluctance of the people who identified them to sign a police report.
Thanks 2020…THANKS!
The hospitality and live music industry is populated by creative, tenacious, hard-working people who are passionate about what they do, and my team is no exception. We don’t back down from a fight, but right now we are fighting a battle we cannot win.
I’m outraged that in early October, the president told his negotiators to scrap talks on a stimulus package until after the election. I’m furious that McConnell adjourned the Senate until November 9 without coming to an agreement to save small businesses all over the country. EVERY DAY COUNTS. Every day, we are closer to losing our business through no fault of our own. There is no support from our local government because their aid is tied up on the same stalled stimulus package. It’s stunning to me that an industry that is such a big economic driver and employs so many people has been so utterly abandoned by our elected officials.
So, we keep trying. And at the end of each shift, I’m exhausted and broken.
If you see me sitting at the bar watching the last few songs of the night with tears in my eyes, it’s because I’m completely overwhelmed with a hard to explain combination of joy and grief. Joy listening to the music, grief because I see this special place we’ve created slipping away. I might have a glass in my hand, stress-drinking my favorite red wine, or I might be afraid to pour even one because I’m not sure I’ll be able to stop.
I have so much love and gratitude for the performers and guests who have made the 443 what it is. Your kindness and relentless support humble me and keep me going.
With COVID cases exploding all over the country and Onondaga county reporting its highest number of cases since the pandemic began, it’s clear our days are numbered. Whether it’s another temporary closure or a permanent one remains to be seen, but I can’t see us surviving the winter without significant government aid. I know we are not alone in this, but the stakes of this week’s contentious election are sky-high for us.
It’s not easy knowing when to abandon a dream…and we’re doing our best to keep the faith.
See you soon,
