Stanislaus County bars, gyms ready for reopening. Here’s what to expect when you go
This weekend you’ll be able to raise a glass or a barbell officially again as bars, gyms and close to a dozen other industries reopen across Stanislaus County from their nearly three-month coronavirus shutdowns.
While some drinking and fitness establishments in the region have already opened, thanks largely to local officials announcing they would look the other way instead of enforcing business closures, the county has now given all the green-light to welcome back patrons this Friday, June 12.
Other industries the county has also OKed include wineries, hotels for tourism, family entertainment centers, museums, card rooms, campgrounds and outdoor recreation. The state also said movie theaters may begin reopening Friday with local approval as well.
But, as with all the recent reopenings — from dine-in restaurants to hair salons — the return comes with restrictions and new safety guidelines. For many of the businesses, the biggest changes are social distancing rules which will limit capacity to ensure customers can stay 6 feet apart to help slow the COVID-19 outbreak which continues in Stanislaus County and the state.
As with other industries, statewide guidance documents say face masks are “strongly recommended” for all employees who are in close contact with customers. Gloves are also encouraged for bartenders, bussers and anyone charged with handling soiled glass or dishware. For wineries, new glasses for each pour and the discontinuation of communal dump buckets are also recommended.
For Blades & Bottles owner Allison Dowdy, the COVID lockdowns have been a double-whammy for her business. Her combination hair salon and cocktail bar opened last year in downtown Modesto. But both industries were put on pause due to the global pandemic. And, unlike restaurants that were able to offer takeout, that meant shutting down her 15th Street location entirely.
Late last month, when hair salons and barbershops were allowed to reopen, the “Blades” portion of their business came back. This week Dowdy has been preparing for the “Bottles” portion’s return. That will mean all her bartenders will wear masks and gloves. Hand sanitizer has been placed throughout the bar and people can also request disposable glasses.
“We want to do everything we can to encourage people to come out and feel safe,” Dowdy said.
Reduced capacity at bars to allow for social distancing
Her staff has all been furloughed since mid-March when the state had non-essential businesses come to a screeching halt to slow the spread of coronavirus. All five are now returning, but the bar will have half of its normal capacity. Dowdy said there will be space for 60 instead of 120 people, and groups will be limited to 10 people.
Reservations for the bar’s available seating is also highly encouraged. Seats are sold out for her Friday opening, which will include a Graffiti Summer-themed car show in front of the business.
Another downtown Modesto bar weighing reservations is Lo-Fi. The craft cocktail lounge opened in May 2019, serving up a mix of old-fashioned and from-scratch drinks. Tucked away in a small space on J Street, owner Lauren Jamieson said they’ll only be allowed to have eight patrons inside at a time.
To comply with state guidance and social distancing rules they’ve removed all the bar seating and will instead only allow seating on its plush couches. They’re also pausing live entertainment, like DJs and singers, for the time being.
Requirements for cleaning bottles and wiping down surfaces will slow down service, she said, and take some getting used to.
“In the service industry everything is about getting things done quickly. To have to stop and sanitize stuff is an adjustment for us. But I also don’t find the regulations too burdensome,” she said. “I’m not a doctor, so if this is what experts are requiring we are happy to adhere to anything that is recommended.”
Jamieson said to allow for some planned improvements and make sure they have their safety protocols ready the bar won’t be opening until the following weekend, tentatively. She also has some staff who will not be returning to work until the start of July.
“I didn’t expect running a business to be easy. I knew, as a business, there would be various things to deal with, but I did not anticipate a pandemic within a year of opening,” she said.
Fitness centers adapt to coronavirus cleaning
Like with bars, the state created guidelines for fitness facilities.
While some of the guidelines are like other industries such as social distancing and requiring employees to wear masks, expect to see a high quantity of hand-washing stations at your gym. Members will be advised to wash their hands before and after workouts as well as cleaning equipment before and after use.
Masks will not be required for customers but “highly recommended.”
While pools are allowed to open, hot tubs, saunas, and steam rooms will remain closed.
Here are what some local gyms are planning:
Planet Fitness has created the “Clean Thumb Club” to show its members how they will be keeping the gym safe. It includes touchless check-in (checking in via phone app), cleaning stations throughout the club, and making some cardio and strength machines unavailable so members will maintain social distancing.
In-Shape, with gyms in Ceres, Modesto, and Turlock, will require members to make reservations up to 48 hours in advance via the gym’s app. Each member will have access to a club once per day for a maximum of two hours.
The gym will also limit the number of members allowed at one time and its Kid Zone will remain closed.
Fit Republic will also operate at half occupancy according to the Fresno Bee.
This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 1:39 PM.
