BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) - Mandy White already misses the jalapeño kolsch beer and hot jam burgers. Andee Rudloff knows she will miss her favorite spot to hang out with her niece and enjoy the artist-friendly ambiance.
White Squirrel Brewery and Restaurant, a local watering hole and eatery on Broadway Avenue that survived the perilous small-business startup five years ago to become a popular lunch and dinner destination, has become the latest victim of the coronavirus pandemic.
White Squirrel co-owner Sean Stevens announced Monday that the business he started in conjunction with 440 Main restaurant owner Tom Holmes in 2015 had closed for good – largely because of restrictions placed on restaurant reopenings by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
“We held on a little while by doing to-go orders,” Stevens said. “But when they announced that restaurants could open at 33 percent of capacity, that just killed us.”
The smallish White Squirrel was limited to a seating capacity of 85 in cramped quarters, so the restrictions on capacity and social distancing were a death sentence.
“At this little place, that’s like three tables,” Stevens said. “This place is so small that it’s hard to get 6 feet between tables.”
Although the state mandates forced his hand, Stevens said he still agonized over the decision.
“There have been ups and downs over the five years, and it has been stressful at times, but I’ve met a lot of great people,” he said. “The community stepped up as far as coming out to support local businesses.
“I hope everybody knows how much I appreciate that. I’ve shed a few tears over the past 24 hours.”
Loyal White Squirrel customers like White and Rudloff may be choking back some tears as well.
“I’ve been going there since it opened,” said White, a Bowling Green Independent School District employee. “It was a very friendly environment, and the jalapeño kolsch beer was a game-changer for me. I’m gonna miss it a lot.”
Rudloff, a local artist who painted the white squirrel on the side of the restaurant, said she’s “super sad” to see it close, even if she understands the reason.
“I’m just devastated,” she said. “Many of the people who worked there were artists and musicians. It was a good group of people.
“I’ll miss it, but the way it’s set up there’s no way to set up the tables in a way that would allow them to meet the regulations.”
Even as he prepared Tuesday for the task of cleaning out the restaurant, Stevens kept an upbeat attitude and looked forward to opening a new business.
Stevens explained that he had been trying to separate the restaurant and brewery operations for a while and now may have his opportunity.
“I was already working on that before the coronavirus,” Stevens said. “We’ve been trying to expand the brewery side and move it out on its own, but that takes money to expand the equipment.”
Now may be the time to make that move, Stevens said.
“I’d like to start with just a brewery and tap room,” he said. “I have some places in mind. I’m confident that I’ll be in business again as White Squirrel Brewery.”
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