Waterford Today

As COVID-19 continues to surge across the U.S., many bars and restaurants are facing continued difficulties and closures from loss of business and pandemic restrictions.

As Michigan approaches 10,000 deaths statewide, legislators have renewed lockdown measures, including those that ban indoor restaurant and bar service. The renewed orders came from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) Director Robert Gordon. The measures also closed movie theaters and casinos. In addition, retail establishment capacities were lowered from the previous 50% to 30%, as reported by Bridge Michigan.  

Restaurants and other food-service businesses have been struggling to stay open for the majority of the year as a result of these closures, and the coming winter months may prove to be even more trying, without the option of outdoor seating. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have classified indoor dining as a high-risk activity, with those eating indoors at restaurants twice as likely to contract COVID-19.

The Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association (MRLA) has filed a lawsuit against Gordon and the new measures.

Some restaurants have even defied the orders, reopening their establishments -- an action that MDHHS says could potentially result in those establishments losing their liquor licenses, either temporarily or permanently.

President of the Michigan Small Business Association Brian Calley expressed worry about the possibility of extending the lockdowns. He told Bridge Michigan, “I’m concerned that this three weeks is not going to be the end of this, in terms of the restrictions, and that it will be extended for another two or three weeks after that.”

The decision on whether to extend the measures in the coming weeks will be determined by a variety of factors, from hospital ICU capacities to case totals to the success of contact tracing.  

As additional COVID-19 support from Congress continues to stall, the next few months may be difficult for small business owners, who are encouraging shoppers to consider buying small and buying locally for this year’s holiday season.