Columbia cafe and pub looking to federal government for guidelines

COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ)

One Columbia cafe and pub decided to have a pop-up event in order to get a feel for what it will be like to reopen when the stay home order is lifted.

Lydia Melton, the owner of Gunter Hans says the federal government granted the cafe and pub a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program but has left them without specific guidelines surrounding how to spend the money.

"The hardest part is that the federal government still has not issued guidelines on what's forgivable and what's not," Melton said. "So I can't use that money until I know what I'm actually allowed to do."

The PPP loan is 100% forgivable if businesses follow forgiveness guidelines.

Melton said the original date for the forgiveness guidelines was supposed to be April 26 but has continued to be pushed back.

"They want us to maintain payroll at what it was last year, but we physically can't do it, because we haven't been open," Melton said. "It's an impossible goal that's been set and we're hoping that we'll get revised guidance specific to our industry, because I think they made a rule, but it just didn't happen to work for restaurants in particular."

Brandon Kalista, a Gunter Hans customer stopped by the cafe and pub today with his family, he said it was important for he and his family to get out to help support small business.

"You know we're out here supporting small business, we know it has been a tough time for them," Kalista said. "It's been a tough time for them being having to be closed so we figured this is kind of good opportunity for just to, you know, reconnect with communities show that they're still around and hopefully help them kind of grow and get past this what's going on."

Melton said Gunter Hans might not have the staff to be able to reopen on Monday without PPP guidelines but will be open Thursday through Saturday.

Businesses have up to 8 weeks to spend their PPP loan - Gunter Hans will have until June 8 to use it's loan.