Cheers! Pflugerville downtown bars reopen to public
- Ariana Garcia
- May 29, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 5, 2020
Music thumped loudly inside Hanovers Draught Haus Thursday evening though just a handful of people sat drinking at distanced tables at the downtown Pflugerville bar.
John Arevalo, a regular customer, sat idly without a mask on, sipping on a cold drink. It was his first time at the bar since it reopened on May 22.
“I’ve been coming here for years,” he said. “This is my little neighborhood bar, and I want to support them.”
Arevalo, who works at a health care clinic, said he’s seen the impact of the coronavirus pandemic firsthand and is taking precautions seriously. He first drove by the bar to make sure it wasn’t too crowded, but said he felt safe once inside.
“I think they’re doing a great job,” he said. “It’s a really nice setup.”
The bar was one of several that recently reopened in downtown Pflugerville after being closed for months due to coronavirus concerns.
Owner Adeline Bui said a big crowd didn’t show up for the bar’s first weekend open on May 22, but she still enjoyed seeing regular customers again.
“A lot of people feel like it’s a reunion,” she said. “They love seeing their friends and neighbors but it’s a lot harder because the volume is not quite there.”
Gov. Greg Abbott gave Texas bars the green light to unlock their doors on May 22 at 25% capacity as part of the second phase of his plan to reopen the state’s economy.
Abbott’s standard health protocols checklist includes provisions that guests should place drink orders while seated at a table or through online systems, and that groups must keep 6 feet between themselves and other parties. The 25% capacity limit did not apply to patios, but the governor said those areas should still operate with tables at least 6 feet apart.
“Opening at 25% is better than not doing anything at all,” Bui said. “This entire shutdown and stay at home policy just makes everybody so stir crazy, and there are those of us that don’t mind the risk and want to be out there.”
Bui said her bar is following guidelines set out by Abbott in his announcement, including regularly sanitizing the bar and enforcing social distancing.
She is not requiring patrons, or staff, to wear masks.
“I think it’s a personal choice,” she said.
Though the bar is currently operating at limited hours, Bui said as more businesses and sports facilities are allowed to reopen, the bar will expand hours to allow leagues to use the bar’s outdoor volleyball courts.
Red Roosters, another downtown bar, only allowed patrons to drink and dine outside as part of its safety protocols. Employees are required to wear masks and gloves, though patrons are not.
Owner Jonathan Madden said he waited until May 24 to reopen to fully prepare to serve dine-in customers again as safely as possible.
“It’s a balancing act for us,” Madden said. “On one hand, we want to get employees back to work and generate revenue, and on the other hand we don’t want to cause anything that could spread through the community.”
During the shutdown, Red Roosters mainly functioned as a restaurant to stay afloat and developed a burger menu. Business has been slow since reopening, Madden said, so takeout has still helped carry the establishment.
“People responded really well to it,” Madden said about its burger, which have gained popularity online, and an endorsement from John Brotherton, owner of Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue. “A lot of people are saying we have the best burger in town.”
The Three Legged Goat, a nearby downtown wine bar, has closed access to the inside of the building but is allowing customers to utilize its patio space.
The bar also has an outdoor area where patrons can lay out blankets and order drinks.
Jim McDonald, owner and Place 6 Pflugerville City Council member, said after getting an overwhelming positive response from the community online when gauging their interest in the bar reopening, he knew it was the right time to open again.
“We felt that we had enough safeguards and procedures in place to do everything as safely as we could and still allow people to get out of the house before they go crazy,” he said.
McDonald said business has also been slow since reopening, though he is grateful for those who have come out to support.
“It’s almost like opening a brand new business again and you’re still ramping up,” he said. “But just seeing the smiles on everyone’s face made it worthwhile.”
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