Owners of local bars, restaurants devastated over order to close

SANDUSKY — Chris Biechele can't fathom what's happening to him, his business and the many people he employs. "In this unprecedented time, right now, I am in the middle of canceling food orders, contacting all employees, informing them to stay calm and file for unemployment," said Biechele, who runs Cheers Sports Bar & Grill in the Sandusky Mall. Daly's Pub bartender Tabitha Detamore pours a green beer at the downtown Sandusky business on Sunday afternoon, March 15, 2020. "I'm also trying to reach out to beer and wine distributors to return all product slated for the huge St. Patrick's Day event," said Biechele, referring to Tuesday's holiday. "I'm canceling the night-shift employees and wondering how the hell my family and I will survive. I'm thinking about donating all 300 pounds of cooked corned beef to the Ohio Veterans Home." It's an equally grim situation for Derrick Moore, who runs Derrick's Diner on Warren Street (U.S. 6) in Sandusky. "This can easily close the diner," Moore said. "I'm not kidding." Locking the doors Biechele, Moore and many other food-and-drink establishment owners entered panic mode at about 3:30 p.m., Sunday when Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine ordered all bars and dine-in restaurants must close for the foreseeable future. The mandate went into effect at 9 p.m. DeWine based his decision to, ideally, prevent the spread of coronavirus/COVID-19. Previously, he prohibited mass gatherings of 100 or more people. Bake Erie owner Liz Turner places pastries on a tray at her business in The Marketplace at Cooke in downtown Sandusky on Sunday afternoon, March 15, 2020. As of late Sunday, there are 37 confirmed cases of the virus in Ohio. Globally, there are more than 162,600 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 5,800 deaths, including 61 in the U.S., according to ABC News. "I'm aware that this will impact many, many good workers. I can't tell you how sorry I am, but we will work to mitigate the suffering," DeWine said. "It is our goal for everyone to get through this. People will die if we do not make these decisions." While it's understood, DeWine's decision puts a great hardship on locals who depend upon food-and-drink establishments as their livelihoods, city manager Eric Wobser said. "This will be very difficult for our small business owners and employees," Wobser said. Still offering service The state's 22,000-plus restaurants and bars can continue providing food or drinks to customers via takeout, drive-thru, curbside pickup and delivery. "We are going to try and stay open," said Matt Keech, who owns Cameo Pizza on West Monroe Street in Sandusky. "But it's a hard time for people. It's going to be hard for our employees and our customers. We are a local place, and we're going to have to close." Crush Wine Bar server Caroline Linden pours wine at the downtown Sandusky business on Sunday afternoon, March 15, 2020. Keech then directed his next comments to DeWine's order. "The state should have done it county by county, based on reported cases," he said. "They should have given restaurants the chance to have a few days to get rid of their inventories, so we don't waste food and lose money and food." Dave Bier and Dawson Foster — who jointly run Daly's Pub, Landmark Kitchen and Bar and Shore House Tavern — promised to make similar arrangements for their downtown Sandusky businesses. "We will be open for carryout at all of our locations," said Bier, who also needed to cancel Daly's St. Patrick's Day festivities. "But this is a tough time. It's totally unprecedented." Manny's Sports Tavern & Grill in Perkins Township also asked customers to patronize the business during this trying time. "Support your small local businesses," according to a post on the company's Facebook page. Ryan Whaley — who owns Hotel Kilbourne, which operates OH Taco and Moseley's Public House and Rooftop Bar — won't charge a delivery fee for customers seeking food or drinks. OH Taco bartender Alex Wetzel prepares a tray of chips and salsa at the Hotel Kilbourne business in downtown Sandusky on Sunday afternoon, March 15, 2020. "We'll do our best to ensure our loyal customers can still enjoy our food with their family and friends." The decision likely hurts newer businesses more so than longtime establishments, such as Daly's and Cameo Pizza. Take, for instance, the Sandusky Bell & Deli, which opened this past fall. "We were just starting to establish our customer base," said Judy Protzman, who runs the restaurant, in downtown's The Marketplace at Cooke, with Jim Johnson. "Now we have to lay off employees who have become like family and turn away customers who have also become our family. It's going to be hard." Many locals urged people to not only visit these establishments but financially support these service industry workers more so than what they normally would. "Order carryout, support local, buy gift cards, tip well," Norwalk resident Todd Lillo said. Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this news report. MORE ON THE CORONAVIRUS What does the ban mean? Because of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic, DeWine prohibited people from eating or drinking in restaurants and bars across the state until further notice. "How long this order will be in effect, we don't frankly know," DeWine said. "It will be in effect as long as it needs to." From restaurants and bars, however, customers can still: • Get carry out • Order delivery • Purchase alcohol at the store or a drive-thru Source: Ohio governor's office Cameo Pizza server Leah Butler makes a pizza at the Central Avenue business in Sandusky on Sunday afternoon, March 15, 2020. Receive unemployment benefits DeWine on Monday will sign an executive order to help the unemployed affected by the pandemic. The order will change Ohio's unemployment law to enable workers who do not have paid-leave benefits to access unemployment benefits. This order will waive the typical one-week delay for those awaiting unemployment benefits. Visit unemployment.ohio.gov/PublicSelfServiceChoice.html for more details. It will also give relief to applicants who are not offered paid leave through their job as well as those who have been quarantined by a medical professional, their employer, or whose employers must temporarily close. Those who apply for unemployment under these circumstances will be exempt from the requirement that they be actively seeking work. One-time liquor buyback The Ohio Department of Commerce will immediately begin offering a one-time liquor buyback option to support bars and restaurants. This will especially aid those establishments that have stocked up on high-proof liquor ahead of the St. Patrick's Day holiday for which they now have no use due to their closure to in-house patrons. Bars and restaurants wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should return their unopened, high-proof liquor products, obtained within the past 30 days, to the agency where they purchased the product. This opportunity is also extended to those with temporary F2 permits for events scheduled between March 12 and April 6, 2020. If a business has questions about this program, they should reach out directly to the Liquor Enterprise Service Center at 1-877-812-0013 or by emailing ohioliquorinfo@com.ohio.gov.