Here’s how Illinois bars and restaurants fare with COVID restrictions lifted
A wave of relief and optimism rolled through the metro-east bar and restaurant industry Thursday when COVID restrictions were lifted and owners freed to welcome customers for indoor dining and drinking in time for Super Bowl weekend.
“Our restaurants and bars have been waiting a long time for this,” said Wendy Pfeil, president and CEO of the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce.
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Thursday lifted a ban on indoor dining and drinking that had been in place since the fall. Gov. J.B. Pritzker had ordered other shutdowns prior to the one announced in the fall.
But with the declining number of coronavirus cases and increase in the number of available hospital beds, public health officials ended the ban, which was implemented in an effort to slow the spread of the virus that has claimed over 19,000 lives in Illinois.
Restaurants had been allowed to offer outdoor dining and takeout service over the winter.
“Many of them have been hanging on by a thread and hopefully this is coming at the right time with a change in the weather and having a big weekend this weekend that they can finally get the patrons back in and hopefully get them through the winter back to spring,” Pfeil said.
“From what we’ve heard, there were some restaurants that were definitely on the brink of having to make that tough decision whether they could stay open or close. And hopefully, with this decision to reopen indoor dining, … those restaurants will now be able to turn the corner and survive and thrive.”
Pfeil encouraged customers and employees to continue to diligently follow safety and social distancing guidelines so the bar and restaurant industry will not have to face further restrictions.
The metro-east, which is officially classified by the state as Region 4 covering St. Clair, Madison, Monroe, Randolph, Clinton, Washington and Bond counties, was the last region in the state to have restrictions reduced.
Flood and virus
The bar and restaurant economy in Grafton not only had to endure the coronavirus restrictions in 2020 and early this year, it faced disruptions caused by flooding in 2019.
But Cory Jobe, president and CEO of the Great Rivers and Routes Tourism Bureau, said the region is ready to fight back.
“It has been a double whammy but I can tell you this, the business community and the city are very resilient, they’re strong,” Jobe said. “They are very organized and coordinated in coming out of this pandemic to have a very successful 2021.”
Indeed on Thursday, the Aerie’s Resort in Grafton announced that its gondola lift on the bluffs has reopened.
“There’s really nothing quite like that attraction anywhere in the Midwest,” Jobe said. “It’s a great attraction.”
Along with the Grafton SkyTour, the resort reopened its winery, gift shop and lodging.
“The tourism economy is really the only economy for Grafton and everybody is on the same page working together in making plans for a successful year,” Jobe said.
Indoor dining
Christi Robertson, owner of C and C Food For Your Soul at 1926 W. Main St. in Belleville, said she will continue to offer takeout service at her restaurant but she remains concerned about the virus and won’t offer indoor seating for at least a couple of weeks.
Robertson said several of her customers are nurses who work in area emergency rooms and she listens to their advice.
“I’m still a little skeptical because, of course, safety for my staff comes first because if we’re not well, we can’t make sure our customers are well,” Robertson said.
Robertson said revenue has been down during the pandemic and some staff reduction was necessary but she has been able to keep the doors open with a vibrant takeout business.
“That’s been working well for us,” she said. “We’ve been doing OK. The community has just welcomed us with open arms,” Robertson said. “My customers have been phenomenal.
“We pray about it. The Lord has definitely been working on our side and my family has been tremendous as well.”
Bar reopens
Karla Blades is upset she had to close her New Athens bar while other bars in southwestern Illinois remained open despite the state’s ban that wasn’t enforced consistently across the region.
Nonetheless, Blades said Thursday’s announcement was welcome news at The Nail, which derives its name from the initials in New Athens, Illinois.
“I’m glad to be open,” she said.
St. Clair County officials had taken away her food service license but serving customers inside the bar but Blades said the license was restored when she agreed to remain closed until restrictions were lifted.
Blades said she doesn’t have a kitchen but The Nail needs the food service permit because it is necessary to serve ice to customers in a bar.
With all of the shutdowns during 2020, Blades said she had no profit for the year.
“It’s been a super big struggle,” she said.
To top off the frustration of losing money for the past year, Blades said she and her elderly customers are upset to hear that the state is giving COVID shots to prisoners before her customers have been able to get one. She said some of her customers are in their 90s.
“I don’t think that’s fair,” Blades said. “I have a lot of elderly clientele and a lot of them are really mad about it.”
This story was originally published February 5, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
