Business Casaulities from COVID19

[47of74]

Thought we could all talk about the small business causalities from the pandemic and the GOP's fucked up handling of all this...

First off, Fuck you, Republicans.

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A bar and live music venue in downtown Dubuque has permanently closed, citing COVID-19 as the driving factor in the decision.

Officials from The Blu Room, 600 Central Ave., announced on social media that the venue “will remain closed for good.” The business was known as Breezers Pub prior to its current name.

The post alluded to the short-term problems caused by the novel coronavirus and suggested that a return to normalcy “may not happen for a very long time.”

“We are still unwilling to get people together, in such a confined space, with only the hope of no transmission of this virus,” the post read. “I’ve exhausted all my options in trying to stay afloat.”

Yeah this was a nice place and I had friends who played this venue in Dubuque...

 

Edited July 30, 2020 by 47of74
FIX TITLE

[Audrey2]

A friend and I ate here when we were at a convention in Spokane. We've talked about how we want to go back and explore the city more. We likes the food. Sadly, we will no longer be able to eat at Rocky Rococos.

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After more than 35 years in downtown Spokane, Rocky Rococo Pizza and Pasta is closing permanently, effective Friday.

“The challenges of operating a business are never ending. Rocky Rococo-Spokane has been up to that challenge throughout the many years we have called downtown our home,” franchise owner Lee Gibbon said in a statement. “It’s now time to step away and allow a new generation of entrepreneurs to use their energy and talent to create the next success story within the Spokane community.”

The restaurant at 520 W. Main St. had closed temporarily in April because of COVID-19.

Rocky Rococo Pizza and Pasta was founded in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1974.

This was in the May 1 Spokane newspaper.

[47of74]

An Iowa non profit is stopping operations because their funding dried up. 

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa has announced plans to cease mentoring operations at the end of August.

Previous financial hardships, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, led the board to make the decision late July. Funding had been cut over the last two years by $350,000 Then, the pandemic cancelled their 2020 fundraising events and directly affected donations and applications for funding.

“We have explored every option available to us to keep our Littles & Bigs connected during the COVID-19 pandemic in safe ways. We, along with many other businesses in our service area, did not know how the virus would impact this ongoing economic crisis. This decision was extremely difficult to make but at this time we have exhausted all options, and
the decision is necessary," said Jessica Love, Board President of Big Brothers Sisters of Northeast Iowa.

 

[47of74]

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Fuck

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A bowling alley that has served the Dubuque area for more than six decades soon will close its doors permanently. 

Creslanes Bowling Alley and Pro Shop, 255 S. Main St. in Dubuque, will close on Friday, Aug. 14, according to a press release issued by the bowling alley's owner, Crescent Electric Supply Co. 

It was older but still a nice place.  They had a by the hour rate on weekdays so I was able to get decent practice in.  There are other more modern facilities but it had a lot of the old bowling alley charm  

 

[47of74]

On 8/4/2020 at 12:28 PM, 47of74 said:

Fuck

It was older but still a nice place.  They had a by the hour rate on weekdays so I was able to get decent practice in.  There are other more modern facilities but it had a lot of the old bowling alley charm  

 

I went and got a final round of rolling in there yesterday afternoon.  An hour of bowling for five bucks.  I was able to get in just over 8 games of bowling.  (And YES I did do it in a socially distant manner so do not the fornicate judge). I'm going to miss that place.

I saw a mother and daughter bowling yesterday - the little girl must've been only five or so.  I found myself wishing my niece was at the age where good ol' 47 could take her out rolling  and get her started early.  Oh well in a few years I can introduce her to that hobby at one of the other rolling places around town.

 

[Maggie Mae]

We lost a cute little pizza place that served tuscan style pizza - it was so good, high quality ingredients and so much better than the usual american style pizza that everyone serves.  A couple of shops that were going to close anyway closed. 

Unfortunately, there are several places that chose to just stay open during this second round of closures and they get all the anti-mask, anti-science crowd flocking to them in "support." So even with huge fines, an injunction, and a week of court appearances, they probably made money. The food wasn't even good! 

[Ozlsn]

We've lost a shoe shop (gone online only, not surprised), a hairdresser (I think lease related, I am waiting for the shut down to end so I can find out) and so far that's it locally. The crunch will come here with the economic crunch - who knows what will happen then. Big names that closed during lockdown #1 we're the Shark Fin Restaurant, a long time Chinatown mainstay that I honestly did not expect to go, and the Hopetoun Tea Rooms which I am very sad about because they had wonderful desserts. Cafes and restaurants are takeaway only at present, so clinging on.

[Howl]

My town is a big foodie town with many smallish restaurants and quite a few have announced that they'll be closing.  Experimentation with different business plans are happening; most have gone to takeout  delivered curbside.  Others are offering meal kits (delivery and curbside).  Another new option: multiple restaurants preparing take-out in one industrial kitchen facility. Customers can then pick up several different types of take out with one delivery at the curb. 

The food truck craze hadn't quite peaked in Austin when The 'Rona hit; don't know what those folks are up to. 

On the national stage, SteinMart is shutting down. I don't know why that makes me feel sad; I rarely went there, especially after I retired and discovered I no longer need new clothes.  It was right there in the little strip mall with the Indian food buffet, the James Avery jewelry store,  Performance Bike and Zen fast food.  Performance Bike, a national chain, closed last year pre Corona virus. 

[OHFL2009]

38 minutes ago, Howl said:

The food truck craze hadn't quite peaked in Austin when The 'Rona hit; don't know what those folks are up to. 

My neighborhood started doing Food Truck Thursday in our neighborhood park more than a year ago, and initially it was just the third Thursday of the month. Then they upped it to every other Thursday, and since the pandemic they've actually gone to every Thursday. We live about 20 minutes from the closest takeout/delivery places so the food is always cold by the time you get home. Everyone seems to love the option of carryout much closer. We used to walk to the park (about a mile) and eat there, but now they ask to only send one person per family to pick up the food so now one of us drives up to get it. The truck tonight is even doing an online pre-order where you can order any time today and set your pick up time. The trucks seem to fare pretty well and occasionally even run out of food. 

[CTRLZero]

We've noticed that food trucks are doing a huge business lately, with lots of people waiting for their orders.  Some have set up picnic tables and distanced waiting areas. 

Our local pool hall hangout has shut down.  We have no idea if they will ever reopen.  Makes us sad to drive by and see the neon signs turned off. 

[louisa05]

On 8/13/2020 at 8:05 AM, Howl said:

My town is a big foodie town with many smallish restaurants and quite a few have announced that they'll be closing.  Experimentation with different business plans are happening; most have gone to takeout  delivered curbside.  Others are offering meal kits (delivery and curbside).  Another new option: multiple restaurants preparing take-out in one industrial kitchen facility. Customers can then pick up several different types of take out with one delivery at the curb. 

The food truck craze hadn't quite peaked in Austin when The 'Rona hit; don't know what those folks are up to. 

On the national stage, SteinMart is shutting down. I don't know why that makes me feel sad; I rarely went there, especially after I retired and discovered I no longer need new clothes.  It was right there in the little strip mall with the Indian food buffet, the James Avery jewelry store,  Performance Bike and Zen fast food.  Performance Bike, a national chain, closed last year pre Corona virus. 

Omaha is a foodie town too and losing lots of local restaurants. 
 

(Yes, for real, it is: https://livability.com/ne/omaha/food-scenes/why-omaha-nebraska-might-be-the-best-place-to-eat-in-america-right-now )

[47of74]

Once again FUCK

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A popular Dyersville restaurant is closing temporarily due to the impacts of the pandemic. 

Country Junction announced the move on social media on Tuesday afternoon. 

In response to questions posed by customers, restaurant officials said they do not have a reopening date at this time. 

Back when I was attending community college in Peosta way back in the 90s I’d drive out there between classes for breakfast.

If that fucking idiot Reynolds and all the other goddamn Republicans did their fucking jobs this might not have been needed. 

Edited November 24, 2020 by 47of74
Once again apple FUCKING not ducking.

[47of74]

An assisted living place in Elizabeth is going to close because of the pandemic 

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ELIZABETH, Ill. — Months after closing its nursing home, a senior housing facility in Elizabeth announced it will close its assisted-living center as well.

The Grand View Estates Board of Directors recently voted to close the assisted-living facility effective Feb. 20. The board closed its nursing home in April, citing an inability to pay expenses for the facility.

Board President Marvin Wurster said the assisted-living facility will close for similar reasons. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Grand View Estates had 19 residents at the facility. That total has since dwindled to nine.

“If anyone comes into the facility during the pandemic, they can’t leave and quarantine is strict,” Wurster said. “A lot of people don’t want to deal with that. They are just living with their families instead.”

They haven’t been able to get anyone to move in. I don’t blame people for not wanting to move in to assisted living.  If my grandparents were still with us and just now looking at assisted living I’d be against it and have them live with us.  Pandemic aside, my grandparents would not have survived long under such conditions that care facilities now have to impose. 

Edited November 25, 2020 by 47of74

[nokidsmom]

1 hour ago, 47of74 said:

I don’t blame people for not wanting to move in to assisted living.  If my grandparents were still with us and just now looking at assisted living I’d be against it and have them live with us.  Pandemic aside, my grandparents would not have survived long under such conditions that care facilities now have to impose. 

My 94 year old aunt moved into an assisted living community 3 years ago.   She's been pretty much confined to the facility for months though she does go out for some essential things like prescriptions, she pretty much can count on one hand the times she's been out since March.   I check in on her and she's told me how she feels like a prisoner but understands fully why things have to be the way they are.

Speaking of restaurants closing, the local Cuban restaurant in our neighborhood permanently closed after several years of operation.  They managed to keep going during the lockdown and a few months afterward but finally the owners had to give it up.

And if that were not enough,  a really great Caribbean restaurant has temporarily closed citing Covid.   There's a notice they will reopen next year but I still have a bad feeling this one is not going to make it either.

I am bummed because both places were great to get Cuban and Caribbean fare in my own neighborhood without having to traipse to Chicago or Florida.  

[smittykins]

Our local Salvation Army store is permanently closed.

[Ozlsn]

We've lost a fish and chip shop, and the trophies and framing shop. The latter probably could have survived with internet orders and click and collect, but of course they mostly do trophies for sporting clubs... all of which shut down for the entire season. 

Surprisingly the hairdresser I thought had gone looks to be still there. 

[AmazonGrace]

 

[NotQuiteMotY]

I got the email this week from a nice little yarn shop near me: closing this month. I literally just found them in January. ?

[47of74]

On 11/25/2020 at 10:37 AM, nokidsmom said:

My 94 year old aunt moved into an assisted living community 3 years ago.   She's been pretty much confined to the facility for months though she does go out for some essential things like prescriptions, she pretty much can count on one hand the times she's been out since March.   I check in on her and she's told me how she feels like a prisoner but understands fully why things have to be the way they are.

I’m glad my grandparents didn’t live long enough to go through this cause I don’t think they would have survived. It wouldn’t have been Covid but the mental stress.  Not being able to see the kids or grandkiddos would have killed them. And not being able to visit his farm when he wanted would have killed Grandpa. 

[nokidsmom]

On 12/5/2020 at 4:42 PM, 47of74 said:

I’m glad my grandparents didn’t live long enough to go through this cause I don’t think they would have survived. It wouldn’t have been Covid but the mental stress.  Not being able to see the kids or grandkiddos would have killed them. And not being able to visit his farm when he wanted would have killed Grandpa. 

Yeah, I feel for many older people.  My in-laws are having an understandably hard time not even being able to go to their favorite 2 restaurants because it was where they got most of their social interaction.   They have literally begged/guilted/bullied (depending on their mood) for Mr. No to come and see them but he refuses because it's too risky.    

For the first time, my sister and I are glad that my folks are not around for this.   They would have been 93 (Dad) and 83 (Mom) if they were still living.   They would have a hard time not seeing family especially their grandkids.   My other sister who lived closest by would have borne the bulk of the complaints.  

[OHFL2009]

On 12/5/2020 at 5:42 PM, 47of74 said:

I’m glad my grandparents didn’t live long enough to go through this cause I don’t think they would have survived. It wouldn’t have been Covid but the mental stress.  Not being able to see the kids or grandkiddos would have killed them. And not being able to visit his farm when he wanted would have killed Grandpa. 

My grandfather has gone from having some minor medical issues but living in an independent living community to needing full assisted living, memory issues, and major depression in 6 months. Early in the year he was still driving to have dinner at my parents' once a week, doing small woodworking projects, keeping up with his stock trading hobby. Now he wakes up at noon because he says he has no reason to get up, and has regularly said he might as well die because there's no reason left to live. I think he was starting to have some memory issues anyway, but I do believe the isolation and inability to do any part of his normal routine has accelerated his decline significantly. 

[47of74]

Some good news locally.  We lost our local flights to Chicago during the summer months ago but they're going to be coming back.

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Commercial flights will return to Dubuque Regional Airport in about two weeks.

The airport and Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce announced this morning that American Airlines flights will resume on Jan. 6, though it was not immediately clear how many flights per day would be available initially.

“We’re thrilled to have American Airlines return to the tri-states," said chamber CEO Molly Grover in a press release. "The return of air service marks a significant milestone in the continued recovery from COVID-19.”

The number of passengers flying into and out of Dubuque plummeted when the pandemic took hold this spring, and American Airlines in April reduced its number of daily flights from Dubuque that month from three to two. That dropped to one flight per day four days per week in May and one flight per day five days per week in June.

I wouldn't travel right now but I am glad to see the flights are coming back.  Hopefully it means once we've gotten past the worst of the pandemic AA will resume previous levels and the airport can start pestering United to do the flight to Denver again.

When it's safe to travel if I'm still living in the Dubuque area and want to go somewhere that's where I want to fly out of.  By the time one factors in parking, gas, etc it's pretty much a wash for one person to drive to Chicago or even the other area airports.  Also after an all day flight home from other continents it's so nice to be at the airport five minutes from home. 

[ADoyle90815]

My great aunt died in early November, but not from Covid, but she had been in assisted living for dementia for a few years now. I'm also glad that my grandparents weren't alive to go through this because my grandpa was a devout Catholic and not having someone bring Communion over would have killed him. Also, the one uncle who was already verbally abusive to everyone around him is just the type to be anti-mask so he would have infected my grandparents. We all cut off contact with him after my grandparents died, but he's just the type to be a Trump supporter anyway.

As for businesses, there's at least one pub that closed permanently because of the pandemic. Even takeout wasn't enough for them to stay in business long enough to have done outdoor dining.

[Ozlsn]

I went into the CBD for the first time in a while and was really shocked by how many closed shops there were, and how relatively quiet it was. It was for a work lunch (first time two of us have met the rest of the team in person - before this I had met exactly one person in person before) and normally all the eating venues would be packed with work groups. There were two work groups and a lot of empty space where we were. The streets were much quieter than usual for the week before Christmas - even public transport felt more like early Sunday than peak hour home. A lot of it is because work functions are taking place outdoors - of the four I could have gone to three were in parks, and this one was only moved due to torrential rain. Walking from the station to the eating place I would guess that at least one in every three shops is currently vacant, which is much higher than normal. 

[47of74]

The restaurant I mentioned as temporarily closing in November is permanently losing now. 

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A popular Dyersville restaurant announced Friday that its temporary closure would be permanent.

Country Junction announced the move on its Facebook page Friday morning, citing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s a pretty simple business decision based on the amount of opportunity we had, and not even opportunity but, really, due to the business environment COVID created,” owner Dave Buchheit told the Telegraph Herald. “We did not have enough guests to make up the expense.”

Fuck. I hope someone buys it and once things get better bring back a restaurant. They had such a nice breakfast there.