CORONAVIRUS. IT COMES TO THE IMPACT OF OHIO’S NEW RULE THAT PREVENTS ALCOHOL SALES AT BARS AND RESTAURANTS AFTER 10 P.M. LOCATION MATTERS. I WOULD SAY IT HASN’T HAD TOO MUCH OF AN EFFECT FROM A STANDPOINT OF US BEING SOMEWHAT OF A RESIDENTIALLY DENSE AREA. NICK’S QUERY RUNS WEST SIDE BREWING IN WESTWOOD. WE DON’T FACE AS MUCH OF THE LATE NIGHT CROWDS THAT ARE PROBABLY HEAVILY AFFECTED BY THIS YOUR LATE-NIGHT A CLUBS RESTAURANTS. SPACES THINGS LIKE THAT BASED ON COMPLAINTS LODGED THIS WEEKEND. IT APPEARS SOME OF THE ESTABLISHMENTS QUERY TALKED ABOUT DID TRY TO KEEP POURING DRINKS PAST 10:00 P.M. A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE OHIO INVESTIGATIVE UNIT SAYS THE AGENCY RECEIVED 257 COMPLAINT STATEWIDE VIOLATIONS COULD IMPACT IN ESTABLISHMENTS COVETED LIQUOR LICENSE WHEN I ASKED WEARY ABOUT ALLEGED RULE BREAKERS HURTING THE ENTIRE BAR INDUSTRY. HE EXPRESSED MORE EMPATHY THAN FRUSTRATION AT CAN’T SAY ANYTHING NEGATIVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW TOO. COME THEY SHUT DOWN AND WANTING TO YOU KNOW, FEED THE FAMILIES OF THEIR EMPLOYEES AT COBBLESTONE TAVERN IN FAIRFIELD. BARTENDER KEISHA. HAMMOND SAYS 10 P.M. LAST CALL IS PAINFUL FOR A BAR THAT HAD BEEN CLOSING AT 2:30 A.M. IT’S STRESSFUL, YOU KNOW, IT’S DEFINITELY MADE AN IMPACT AS FAR AS LIKE SHIFTS AND THINGS GO, YOU KNOW CLOSING EARLIER. IT KIND OF AFFECTS HAVING A TO SHIFT SATURDAY. SO WE’RE JUST KIND OF TRYING TO ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES AND DO THE BEST WE CAN NOW AS I REPORTED LOCATION REALLY DOES MATTER WITH REGARD TO THE STATE’S NEW 10:00 P.M. LAST CALL RULE A MAN WITH TIES TO HIGH-PROFILE RESTAURANTS AND OVER-THE-RHINE CRITICIZED THE RULE TELLING ME THAT IT’S PUTTING A MAJOR CHILL ON OTRS BUSTLING LATE-NIGHT SCENE, WHICH HAS REALLY PUT THE HURT ON HIS BUSINESS REPORTING LIVE
Ohio Investigative Unit reviewing 257 complaints statewide linked to new 10 p.m. last call rule
Ohio bars, restaurants trying to adapt to lost sales caused by coronavirus-related rule
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Updated: 6:23 PM EDT Aug 3, 2020
When it comes to the impact of Ohio's new rule that prevents alcohol sales at bars and restaurants after 10 p.m., location matters. "Somewhat of a residentially dense area," said Nick Squeri, director of operations for West Side Brewing in Westwood."We don’t face as much of the late-night crowds that are probably heavily affected by this – your late-night oriented clubs, restaurants, events spaces, things like that," Squeri said.Based on complaints lodged this weekend, it appears some of the establishments Squeri talked about did try to keep pouring drinks past 10 p.m.A representative for the Ohio Investigative Unit said the agency received 257 complaints statewide. Violations could impact an establishment's coveted liquor license.Instead of being frustrated about alleged rule breakers hurting the entire bar industry, Squeri was empathetic."I can’t say anything negative, you know, about people, you know, struggling to overcome the shutdown and wanting to, you know, feed the families of their employees," he said.Meanwhile, at Cobblestone Tavern in Fairfield, bartender Keisha Hammons said a 10 p.m. last call is painful for a bar that had been closing at 2:30 a.m."It’s stressful. It’s definitely made an impact as far as shifts and things go," Hammons said. "You know, closing earlier kind of affects having a two-shift Saturday. So we’re just kind of trying to roll with the punches and do the best we can."A man with ties to high profile restaurants in Over-the-Rhine criticized the rule, saying it's put a major chill on OTR's bustling late-night scene, which is not good for his business.
CINCINNATI — When it comes to the impact of Ohio's new rule that prevents alcohol sales at bars and restaurants after 10 p.m., location matters. "Somewhat of a residentially dense area," said Nick Squeri, director of operations for West Side Brewing in Westwood.
"We don’t face as much of the late-night crowds that are probably heavily affected by this – your late-night oriented clubs, restaurants, events spaces, things like that," Squeri said.
Based on complaints lodged this weekend, it appears some of the establishments Squeri talked about did try to keep pouring drinks past 10 p.m.
A representative for the Ohio Investigative Unit said the agency received 257 complaints statewide. Violations could impact an establishment's coveted liquor license.
Instead of being frustrated about alleged rule breakers hurting the entire bar industry, Squeri was empathetic.
"I can’t say anything negative, you know, about people, you know, struggling to overcome the shutdown and wanting to, you know, feed the families of their employees," he said.
Meanwhile, at Cobblestone Tavern in Fairfield, bartender Keisha Hammons said a 10 p.m. last call is painful for a bar that had been closing at 2:30 a.m.
"It’s stressful. It’s definitely made an impact as far as shifts and things go," Hammons said. "You know, closing earlier kind of affects having a two-shift Saturday. So we’re just kind of trying to roll with the punches and do the best we can."
A man with ties to high profile restaurants in Over-the-Rhine criticized the rule, saying it's put a major chill on OTR's bustling late-night scene, which is not good for his business.
