ABILENE, TX – For restaurant ‘The Local’ business has been more tortoise-like than hare as a steady but low number of patrons continue to trickle in as the COVID-19 pandemic persists.
Front-of-house manager Ashley Nichols says business has dropped when compared to sales pre-Coronavirus; however, the restaurant has maintained a consistent flow of guests dining in and taking out. This even roughly one month after Governor Greg Abbott ordered restaurants to operate back down at 50 percent,
“Everybody’s daily routine has changed, I can tell that when people come in, when people don’t come in. Our sales have taken a hit, I’m sure a lot of restaurants sales have taken hits,” said Nichols.
The restaurant has also made use of its bar as the pandemic continues, offering service to those that might have instead gone to a bar should they have been open.
“On Fridays and Saturdays we keep our bar open until midnight, our TABC license allows. People want to get out and have drinks just to get out,” said Nichols.
Even among not-so-bad sales the heaviness of the pandemic is weighing on The Local staff, as they know the worst is very much possible.
“If this place closes down we all lose jobs,” said Nichols.
