8 JULY 30, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Neir’s Tavern owner discusses the
benefi ts & setbacks of outdoor dining
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
AACEVEDO@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Neir’s Tavern opened for outdoor
dining shortly aft er the
state announced food establishments
could bring back socially
distant in-person service a month
ago.
The historic bar and grill, located
at 87-48 78th St., had temporarily
closed at the height of COVID-19.In
May, bar owner Loycent Gordon told
QNS there were many concerns that
came with reopening. But when Gov.
Andrew Cuomo said outdoor dining
could commence on June 22, Gordon
said they were eager to come back.
“We took our dining room chairs
and put them outside,” Gordon
laughed. “Nobody really was prepared
to operate in this way. We’re
all fl ying by the seat of our pants. So,
we’ll take our dining room chairs and
put them outside if it means the possibility
of surviving the pandemic.”
One of the biggest challenges that
has come with reopening has been
navigating the ever-evolving COVID-
19 guidelines, Gordon said.
According to Gordon, city agents
hit them with a violation just a week
ago, shortly aft er guidelines were updated
to include barriers enclosing
tables and patrons for restaurants
participating in the Open Streets
program.
“I found out on the Friday and then
the Sunday they came,” Gordon said.
Gordon explained the violation
could have resulted in a $1,000 fi ne
if it had not been fi xed within 24
hours. He said that although it took
longer than 24 hours, they built the
required barriers and didn’t have to
pay the fi ne. The barriers ended up
costing them $1,100.
Gordon said that while he understands
there are businesses that
don’t comply with regulations, restrictions
like Cuomo’s new “Three
Strikes and You’re Closed” policy
presents another hurdle for them to
jump through. Cuomo announced
the new initiative on Thursday, July
16, to ensure restaurants and bars
comply with state social distancing
and face covering orders.
“Now we’re trying to fi gure out
how we police people that we have
less off ,” he said. “There are business
owners that are probably skirting
the law. But don’t punish the lot that
are doing great, for the few that are
spoiling it.”
Gordon added that 90 percent of
the time, he hears about new guidelines
or restrictions from the media
or a neighbor that fl ags it for him.
Neir’s Tavern owner Loycent Gordon (right) with a business consultant. Photo by Angélica Acevedo
Neir’s Tavern is conveniently located
in a residential area with ample
space for outside seating. But Gordon
isn’t taking that for granted.
The business has markers for
the required six feet distance, with
only three tables for two alongside
the building’s outdoor perimeter and
four tables for groups for the on-street
potion of their outdoor dining set up.
“We value a life and customers
ahead of all things, and we believe
in people fi rst, profi t second,” Gordon
said. “You don’t have to talk to a
business owner to know what they
value. You just have to look at their
COVID-19 set up.”
One former employee whose
grandmother had a wedding reception
at Neir’s in the 1970s said she’d
been to another restaurant in the
neighborhood, but she felt most
comfortable at Neir’s.
“I keep seeing so many familiar
faces,” she said. “As soon as me and
my boyfriend came here and sat
down, we felt comfortable. It felt
safe.”
But, as Gordon put it, businesses
participating in outdoor dining “are
at the mercy of the weather.”
“Not only is the pandemic unpredictable,
but the weather is also unpredictable,”
Gordon said. “So now
you’re dealing with two unpredictable
circumstances.”
Gordon was in the middle of setting
up the tavern’s outdoor dining seating
when it suddenly began to pour.
One patron, who visited the tavern
to celebrate his birthday, helped him
set up the canopies, which resulted
in them both getting soaked.
“He waited in this for a half-hour
for the rain to stop,” Gordon said.
“When it eased up, he went to sit with
his wife a little bit underneath the
overhang, and it was drizzling. So
half the table was wet and the other
half was wet, all because he wanted
to be here.”
Neir’s Tavern is off ering delivery
via their own app, and curbside pick
up. Gordon is working with Edwin
Rivas, a consultant with Yves Jadot
restaurant group, in order to optimize
the restaurant’s resources and
re-work operations.
“We were only able to open for three
days, but when he came, and aft er a
couple weeks, we opened more and
more and now we’re at seven days a
week,” Gordon said.
In regards to another recent order
from Cuomo mandating bars to serve
food with drinks, Rivas said this is
actually a good addition.
“We’re not just a bar,” Rivas said.
“Customers never complain when
you tell them that they need to buy
something else together to drink. It’s
a good eff ect, a good way for business
to push and upsell something else.”
Rivas said the Neir’s opening was
gradual, fi rst starting with delivery
then staff . But they are still operating
at less than 50 percent. They felt they
were ready for indoor dining, but that
was also pushed back from Phase 4.
“I am getting dizzy from pivoting.”
Gordon said.
Mayor Bill de Blasio recently
extended the timely for Open
Restaurants program until Oct. 31,
rather than Sept. 31 like originally
planned.
Gordon joked they might have to get
heaters by then, because “the weather
is unpredictable, remember?”
“It’s a start, but it’s not the panacea,”
he said. “We’re still gonna fi nd a way
to make sure we’re sustainable. This
helps. I don’t think it hurts.”
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