Bar owners hopeful as some COVID-19 restrictions lifted | Davidson County

September 2, 2020 steven

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – The change in COVID-19 restrictions on Tuesday will mean some changes at neighborhood bars.

Some struggling bar owners are hoping it will bring an uptick in business.

From a little kitchen came the sizzle of one of Todd Rossbach’s big bad burgers.

“It’s almost a pound of meat,” he said, getting out some fresh lettuce and tomatoes. “I mix my own seasonings.”

Nashville easing restrictions on restaurants, some gatherings today

Nashville and Davidson County will begin easing COVID-19 restrictions placed on businesses on Tuesday as only 30 new cases were reported in the last 24 hours.

A big bad burger brings people around, and that’s alright for a people person like Todd.

“If you don’t like people, this is a bad business to be in,” said Todd. “Name of the place is Twin Kegs II on Hermitage Avenue. We do attract a whole variety of people in here.”

The place couldn’t be more personal to Todd. His photography is on the walls. He’s performed on the bar stage, that’s why it was especially hard for him to see the place hit by the pandemic.

“I was barely making it like everybody else,” he said.

Todd said he had to lay off his staff and he even ran the place alone for months. Now he waits for the steps forward like Tuesday. What’s different? It relates to the stools now pulled up to the bar.

As part of Tuesday’s public health order in the city’s Roadmap for Reopening, bar counters can open at 50% capacity.

“That’s all you can do is make baby steps,” he said. “We’re at phase 2.9. Who even knows where we’re at anymore? I just try to watch the press releases from the mayor just so I can get an idea what we’re supposed to be doing.”

If you’ve been planning a fall wedding – or attending one – Davidson County is allowing larger events beginning Tuesday.

While things like this may seem small, for a true people person serving up some big bad burgers, every step counts.

“I’m just begging people to support us local businesses,” said Todd. “That’s the only way we’re going to survive. We won’t survive otherwise. It’s not easy. There’s nothing easy about this. It’ll attract more customers now that they’re starting to open back up again.”

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