DUNEDIN, Fla. (WFLA) – Businesses in downtown Dunedin count on the foot traffic that bars and restaurants attract, but now that some bars are shut down and others are just serving to-go orders, much of that traffic has gone away.
Linda Painter is one of the owners of Lafayette and Rushford, a home decor shop downtown.
“We stay open late on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights because people are coming here to go to dinner and come to the bars,” said Painter. “(but now) They aren’t doing that.”
George Courtney, owner of Reboot Arcade and Bar, is concerned for his business and his employees.
“Unfortunately bars, and there are hundreds of them across the state, now have no income and we don’t know if there’s an end in sight,” said Courtney. “Just our own bartenders, some of them have kids, some are taking care of their sick moms who have cancer.”
Andy Polce, one of the co-founders of the House of Beer Brewery in Dunedin, feels unfairly targeted. He says while he is allowed to sell his beer to go, for most, that’s a no go.
“Right now, while people can still go to a myriad of other places where they can sit down and drink, nobody wants to get it to go,” said Polce. “So we’re pretty much dead in the water until this thing’s over. “
Painter says until things return back to normal, she anticipates business downtown will suffer. “So, we have not foot traffic. It’s just a change of mental attitude,” said Painter. “So, it hurts all of us. “
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