Clementine Café and Ruby’s Arcade in Harrisonburg, Va., are planning to reopen after temporarily closing in December due to a spike in Covid cases.
“We came to the conclusion that it was better for the safety of our staff and the public, and just for the lack of revenue that was gonna happen in December and January,” said Matthew Clancey, who manages the two bars.
Not everyone came to that conclusion. Nearby Dukes Bar and Grill, which made its debut last June, remained open but have struggled since the state’s 10 p.m. curfew was put in place, according to WHSV.
“We’ve stayed open to keep everyone in their homes – making money and putting food on the table for their kids,” said manager Kyle House. “We’ve got these restrictions with no relief, and we have no choice but to push on the best we can.”