It’s no secret that many breweries, beer bars, restaurants and other small businesses are struggling to make ends meet during this pandemic and as we head into the winter things will probably get worse before they get better. Early numbers out of NYC indicate that over 1,000 eateries have closed since the start of this pandemic in March, with more expected to shut down as we head into the colder months. Across the river in NJ, our small town of Morristown certainly is sharing the pain as we’ve experienced both temporary and permanent closures of once highly successful eateries.
How breweries are fairing seems to vary by owner and business model. After chatting with several owners and brewers these past few months we’ve gotten the impression that even the most successful taprooms, or entities with strong distribution, are feeling the pinch now nine months into the pandemic. So what can we do to ensure that our favorite breweries and restaurants stay viable during these difficult times?
1. Support Local
If you turn on the news, aside from the doom and gloom you will note that entities like Amazon and Walmart are absolutely killing it this year with all the online ordering. So instead of hitting your local big box retailer for games, hobby supplies, and other odd and ends see if there is a smaller, family run store that will fit your needs. If you can’t find what you need locally, opt to use Amazon Smile when purchasing and make sure your donations support your local favorite causes.
In the north east, breweries and restaurants have been mostly limited to 25% capacity (or less!); at these capacity levels it’s hard to imagine the difficulty reaching operational breakeven point. If you can continue supporting your favorite bartenders, waitstaff and chefs, please continue to dine out when possible. Obviously stay home if you’re feeling under the weather or part of the high risk category. Many restaurants and breweries are still offering outdoor seating areas for those who feel more comfortable outside. Take advantage of warm sunny days and bundle up when the weather is not cooperating!
2. To-Go is always an option
For those of you that feel safer dining and drinking at home, to-go is always an option! Stop on by a brewery for some cans, crowlers or growlers of your favorite beers for the weekend. One of the silver linings about breweries adapting to this situation is the evolution of direct to consumer beer delivery by our local favorite breweries. This option probably isn’t available in every state or for every brewery, but for those of us privileged to get beer delivery, this is certainly a wonderful new service; hopefully making can release lines a thing of the past. Another bonus of the to-go model- no DD needed. Just enjoy your beer and hop straight in bed!
3. Merch & gift cards for when you’re out of beer space
For yourself, friends and family. Brewery merchandise and gift cards are a great way to celebrate the holidays and right now there are so many baskets and bundles by your local favorites. Plus, who doesn’t need a new hoodie or shirt to replace some of those old college ones in the back of your closet.
4. Positive Reviews & Social Media Support
A simple (and free!) measure to support your favorite breweries and restaurants is to leave them a good review on your favorite site like Facebook or Google Maps. Just a few minutes of your time can help generate traction for future patrons. Liking, commenting and sharing posts on Instagram and Facebook are easy ways to help your favorite businesses that costs you $0!
5. Don’t be mean to staff
Although we haven’t observed this in person, the internet is full of videos of angry patrons dishing out unkind words to staff for enforcing a Governor’s executive orders or simply asking people to wear a mask. Yes, we know that most of these EO’s don’t make a lot of sense (See New York’s Chicken Wing rule), but we can assure you that the person pouring your IPA did not draft, nor consult on the new and often overbearing and conflicting regulatory hurdles imposed on our favorite establishments. If you don’t like the current rules, call or email your elected officials. In the meantime, lay off the staff, wear a mask until you take a seat and order some food. Remember, we’re all in this together so be kind to one another.
