CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Bars across Texas are reopening for the first time in several months today.
Bar owners are hustling and bustling to get everything ready for tonight's anxious crowd.
But they say they’re still taking precautions to help keep bar-goers safe.
Tonight, bar doors will open and the taps will be running.
Bars are opening across the state for the first time since March, when Gov. Greg Abbott closed down many businesses to help halt the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
While some bars are staying closed, the majority are ready to fill your cup.
At First and 10 Sports Bar, owner Jesse Noyola says he and his staff are making the safety of their customers and employees a priority.
“We’ll have probably a waiting list of people wanting to come in," Noyola said. "We have hand sanitizer as you walk in.”
His bar staff will be wearing face masks and all the tables are separated to make sure everyone continues to practice social distancing.
Social distancing is being monitored as tables are being put six feet apart
Local bar Hi-Ho Drive In opened their doors at 2 pm today.
But owner Jerry Dalton says he’s playing it safe and won’t be opening up the indoor seating of his bar for another week or so
“Felt it was not safe at this moment to allow people inside so we decided to do a walk-up window kind of bar," Dalton said.
He said he set up tables and chairs in his parking lot so he’s not limited to only serving 25% of his business capacity. Also, it should allow his customers to feel more comfortable spreading out.
The owner of Gemini and The Ranch, or formally known as Ropers says his bars cater to the ‘dancing crowds,’ but they’re discouraging people from dancing with strangers or people outside of their immediate party.
And all the bars that we spoke to tell us they’re excited to reopen, but they’ll be using tonight at a litmus test to see if there are any social distancing measures they need to adjust for the future.
