Last call: Texarkana's bars and restaurants prepare to weather state government-ordered closings

Broadway Bar and Billiards on the Arkansas side and Pecan Point Gastropub and Brewery on the Texas side prepare to endure state-ordered closings to combat the coronavirus. For places like Pecan Point, they will be offering their dining services via curbside pickup and delivery, and can even deliver drinks along with food. More traditional bars like Broadway will have a tougher road, as they have no dining service and Arkansas' closed period will last longer.
Broadway Bar and Billiards on the Arkansas side and Pecan Point Gastropub and Brewery on the Texas side prepare to endure state-ordered closings to combat the coronavirus. For places like Pecan Point, they will be offering their dining services via curbside pickup and delivery, and can even deliver drinks along with food. More traditional bars like Broadway will have a tougher road, as they have no dining service and Arkansas' closed period will last longer.

Belly up to the bar isn't going to be a thing for awhile. Neither is a waiter or waitress saying "let me show you to your table."

In compliance with guidance offered by the Center for Disease Control, state governments have issued orders to limit social contact in an attempt to control spreading COVID-19. Arkansas and Texas respective governors both issued mandates on Thursday.

Texas bars and restaurants have been instructed to close themselves to the public through midnight, April 3. However, carry out and delivery options are still allowed through the period. In addition, the state of Texas has waived certain regulations that will permit delivery of alcoholic beverages as well from restaurants.

"We will be required to deliver alcohol with food, and we will be required to do so, that is, if you want alcohol delivered, it will have to be along with food, but yes, we can continue to serve alcohol within those limitations," said Bill Spurlock, owner and manager of Pecan Point Gastropub and Brewery.

For Pecan Point, the temporary end of dining-in comes midnight, Friday. Diners can enjoy the facilities of the restaurant until then. After that, they will be doing curbside delivery. They actually have had curbside delivery for awhile, so they were fully ready for that part when this began happening.

"We also are putting together a delivery service," Spurlock said. "Our kitchen and bartending staff will be employed during this. For our servers, this will be harder. Some with good driving records will be involved in the delivery service, however. But as soon as this is over with, we will be welcoming our full staff back."

Over on the Arkansas side, establishments will be closed for approximately a month. Schools, along with indoor venues such as gyms, are closed to nonessential functions. Restaurants and bars are closed for dine-in services, but to-go orders may continue.

For the Broadway Sports and Billiards Bar in downtown Texarkana, Arkansas, their last night open before the state-ordered closure was Thursday night. Before the mandated last call, they did notice business lessening.

"We did notice the crowd thinning out a bit, though Wednesday night was busy," said Amanda Fultz, one of the bartenders. "Nighttime here is usually our crowd. We also have some dedicated day drinkers most days, over a dozen or so. However, on Thursday afternoon, the most we had was seven."

Being a more traditional bar, they will not have a food delivery service through the duration.

"Two of our bartenders are single moms," said Fultz. "This is our only source of income. Next month is going to be hard on us."

Broadway is still sizing up Thursday's news, so it doesn't have an official policy on what it will be doing, other than the closing date, which is midnight Thursday.

"During the downtime, I'm going to take care of my kids. I'm not sure about the employment situation, that anyone will actually be hiring before the month is over," said Holly Jones, bartender and single mother. "I just gotta get through the month. Even when we start getting paid again, it puts you a month behind. Making up for the lost time will be hard."

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