Relaxed regulations not enough to recover, Syracuse restaurant owners say

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The PressRoom Pub in downtown Syracuse has only been open for two months in the past year. But even when it was open, the bar had to close its doors at 10 p.m. each night due to state restrictions related to the coronavirus.

Tom Hornstein, the owner of PressRoom Pub, said that recent updates to the restrictions are a small victory, but he still fears that business may never return to normal.

“We won the battle but lost the war,” Hornstein said.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced in a Feb. 14 executive order that New York state would extend mandated closing times for bars, restaurants and gyms by one hour. He cited declining hospitalizations and COVID-19 positivity rates, as well as distance from the post-holiday surge of cases, as reasons for the new regulations.

While some Syracuse business owners are happy to see regulations slowly rolled back, they said that the changes aren’t enough to help them recover from the economic impact of the pandemic.

Tara Romeo, a manager at Francesca’s Cucina, an Italian restaurant in Syracuse, said COVID-19 restrictions have already had a negative impact on many small businesses in the state. She doesn’t think the hour change for closing will make much of a difference, especially given the competition from larger companies in the area.

“There are big corporations all over Syracuse, like Walmart, Target, Wegmans, that have thousands and thousands of people in and out of the store all day long,” she said.

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Joe Mullen, the owner of Nibsy’s Pub, said that while the later closing time will take some pressure off of his business in Tipperary Hill, he doesn’t believe it will have any significant impact.

When Mullen closed Nibsy’s around Christmas after the state identified the city of Syracuse as an “orange zone,” he was frustrated to see bars a mere mile away operating under different guidelines and more relaxed restrictions about hours and patrons allowed inside.

The state required areas in “orange zones” to close high-risk businesses, such as gyms, to reduce gatherings to a maximum of 10 people and to limit outdoor dining to four people per table. In some cases, Mullen said, the restrictions have pushed potential patrons to other businesses or events rather than limited their attendance.

“(It’s) like squeezing a balloon. The air has to go somewhere,” Mullen said. “The people had to go somewhere, and that’s the nearby places.”

The pub was closed during popular holidays for bars, such as Thanksgiving and St. Patrick’s Day, as well during several important sporting events. Mullen was also frustrated by the state’s stance on liquor licenses, as they declined to discount the cost of the permit despite his businesses only operating for a few months in the past year, he said.

“All of my expenses were there, but they made sure my income wasn’t,” Mullen said.

As of Feb. 21, the daily positivity rate in New York had dropped to 2.99%, the lowest it’s been since Nov. 23. The 7-day average positivity rate has been declining for 43 straight days. In addition to bars and gyms, casinos, billiards halls and other locations with a liquor license are also now permitted to stay open until 11 p.m.

Cuomo has said that the state will continue to assess data and consult public health experts as it reconsiders restrictions going forward.

Despite the challenges, Mullen said he’s grateful for the patrons who have stayed with the bar during this difficult year. And Romeo said she’s thankful that Francesca’s hasn’t been hit as hard economically as some bars and restaurants. She’s just glad the restaurant is open.

“All we can do is move forward,” Romeo said.