Local businesses planning to open their doors again with coronavirus case decrease
COLUMBIA, MO (KMIZ)
Some businesses in Columbia are planning to re-open their doors with a sustained lowering of coronavirus case levels and a new health order which allows bars and restaruants to stay open until midnight.
The Blue Note will have its first live show since November on Friday. Mike Nolan, the venue director for The Blue Note, said shows in November were canceled amid increasing COVID-19 cases. Nolan said the venue feels confident in the safety precautions put in place for people to come out and enjoy live music again.
"We're pumped. We have all the same protocols in place, all of the COVID safety stuff, social distancing, we have reserved tables for everyone to be spread out, seats are every other row and the balcony is killed and there's plenty of space," Nolan said.
Nolan said the venue encourages cashless and contactless payments for COVID-19 safety and has markers placed on the floor with a 6-foot distance for guests to stand on while ordering refreshments. The Blue Note has four additional live events scheduled for next month with hopes to sell out all shows. Nolan said The Blue Note and Rose Music Hall, which is under the same ownership, normally produce about 450 live shows a year. That number declined greatly with the pandemic.
"We're back and we're looking forward to bringing live entertainment back to Columbia," Nolan said.
The FieldHouse and Willie's Pub and Pool, a popular restaurant/bar and local hangout, is also planning to open its doors back up this week. The establishment posted on its Instagram page Monday that it will open Thursday for the first time since August.
The FieldHouse now requires reservations in order to get a table, as apart of it's COVID-19 safety precautions. Because of high demand and limited capacity, guests are asked to reserve a table online for FieldHouse, Willie's and Bullwinkle's. An app called LineLeap will allow users to book a table for a 2- to 3-hour time frame for up to 10 people.
As of Wednesday, the app shows all tables reservations for Thursday and Friday are booked.
