Masks? Or a ‘hug and kiss’? Here’s what to expect when Boise bars reopen Saturday

When thirsty regulars enter McCleary’s Pub on State Street for the first time in over two months, Sandy Capozzi hopes they are able to understand something.

She loves them — honest! — but things are a little different. And not just that small piece of plexiglass hung at the well service station to provide separation between employee and customer.

“The hardest part is don’t get mad at your bartender because they don’t want to give you a hug,” says Capozzi, event coordinator for the neighborhood hangout.

Working outside and washing windows while closed, Capozzi has encountered plenty of customers dying to return. She just wants to make sure that ends up being figuratively, not literally.

“Every single person has either wanted to hug or high-five,” Capozzi says, chuckling incredulously. “I just look at them.”

Like McCleary’s, many Idaho watering holes will return to action Saturday. That’s when Gov. Brad Little’s statewide ban on bars will be lifted as part of Stage 3 of the Idaho Rebounds plan.

Public displays of affection might be harder to come by, but drinks will flow — in a hygiene-conscious, less-populated bar scene. Following social distancing guidelines, businesses will strive to operate at half capacity. Stools, chairs and tables will be separated, blocked off or removed. Hand sanitizer will be readily available. At McCleary’s, a piece of plexiglass will even help separate gaming machines, Capozzi says.

But when all is said and done, responsibility for avoiding spread of the coronavirus at bars will fall largely on Idahoans sipping beers and buying rounds of tequila.

Ben Spellman, manager of the Silly Birch in downtown Boise, thinks they’re up to the task.

“I think the mindset of the people that want to come out — I don’t want to say they’re over it — but I think they understand what it’s going to take to make sure that we still move forward,” Spellman says, “and see that trend of new cases dropping.”

‘Sense of normalcy’

Drinking establishments will facilitate the process, managers say, by trying to balance government-recommended health protocols with personal freedoms.

In most cases, patrons will not be asked to wear masks. Employees often won’t, either. “I feel like people that are going to come out are going to want a sense of normalcy,” explains Amber Hazen, manager at Tom Grainey’s in downtown Boise. “And covering the face and doing all that doesn’t make people feel normal or comfortable.”

Still, opportunities for close-quarter interaction will be limited.

Around the corner on Main Street, Humpin’ Hannah’s house act the Rocci Johnson Band will not perform when the bar opens Saturday, putting the kibosh on sweaty shoulder-rubbing in front of the stage. Likewise at Grainey’s Basement, the dance floor will be closed while a house DJ spins tunes.

“We want to do everything right,” Hazen explains. “We want this to move forward. Yes, we’re going to monitor capacity, but there’s only so much we can do.

“People that don’t want to be around people aren’t going to leave their house, which is fine.”

Grainey’s security staff will use clickers to count customers entering and leaving. They’ll be armed with a box of gloves for handling IDs. They might even question patrons as they enter about whether they’ve felt sick, Hazen says. “Anybody coughing hysterically is not going to be allowed in — I’m not gonna lie.”

Servers won’t wear gloves, but they will wash regularly — a practice in place long before the pandemic began, Hazen says. “We wash our hands a million times a night, trust me ... from stickiness of drinks and everything else.”

Amsterdam Lounge also plans to open Saturday on Main Street. Staff is “going to try” to wear masks, owner Ted Challenger says, and will hand-sanitize often.

But nearby dance club StrangeLove and below-street-level bar Dirty Little Roddy’s will not reopen this weekend, according to Challenger, who also owns those nightspots.

“There’s just no reason for me to open StrangeLove and Roddy’s. The formula just doesn’t work for 50 people,” he says.

StrangeLove‘s hurdles are frustrating, he adds.

“No one has spoken to us about how to social distance a dance club. Large clubs and concert venues are being asked to sacrifice our business for the public good. We’re screwed. We’re not even mentioned in Stage 4. And there is no Stage 5 published,” he says.

StrangeLove’s situation underscores the unavoidable reality that Idaho bars are entering murky, untested waters. For staffers eager to return to work — and drinkers ready to raise a toast — it will boil down to risk tolerance.

“It’s trial and error right now,” the Silly Birch’s Spellman says. “There’s no right or wrong in this whole situation, I don’t think. Everybody opening up is a guinea pig. You just try things.”

Excitement, worry

Spellman created a Bartenders of Idaho Facebook group about a decade ago. It has nearly 2,500 members. He expects observations and ideas to be exchanged there among service industry workers. “I think that’s going to be a big tool that we can use moving forward,” he says.

One thing is certain: Lots of Idahoans are ready to move forward.

At the Birch, a couple of employees didn’t quality for unemployment, Spellman says. “I know they’re hurting. They’re excited to get back to work and just get after it.”

Birch customers are fired up, too, he adds. “I get texts every day. ’When are you guys opening? Do we need masks?’ That sort of stuff.

“People are excited to get out. It’s amazing how much social interaction does for the human mind and your mental health. That’s why I’ve been a bartender for 20 years. For me, it’s the social interaction. That means a lot.”

Capozzi, also a bartender for two decades, admits that she is concerned about returning to work. She even drew a chalk line on her garage floor to measure 6 feet. “I’m definitely worried,” says Capozzi, who has spoken to friends in larger cities with COVID-19 problems.

“We’re very lucky that we live here,” she says. “My sister in Spain has been in lockdown since maybe February.”

Capozzi sounds proud of all the local bands that she’s lined up to perform on the stage in McCleary’s large, outdoor beer and cocktail garden this summer. The weekend music series starts June 13 and will include a food truck.

“That’s what’s really saving our lives is that backyard,” Capozzi says. “We are at such an advantage.”

Still, none of the bar managers say they know exactly what to expect. Short-term success will depend on turnout from patrons — and successful suppression of virus spread.

“Come Stage 4, if everything goes well, shoot, it might be three-quarters capacity,” Spellman says. “Unless things go south, the only way we can go is up.”

Owners and employees are hopeful that’s the case. Even if they realize that well-meaning, overfriendly bargoers might pose a challenge.

“And then you add alcohol to the customers, and they just want to hug and kiss,” Capozzi says.

Says Grainey’s Hazen: “People make out at the bar all the time. I’m not going to ask them to stop.

“I’m not going to, like, join them,” she adds. “But whatever. You be you.”

This story was originally published May 28, 2020 at 3:55 PM.