Merced businesses feel the pressure of coronavirus. Many adjust operations or shut down

Whether it’s movie theaters, Main Street bars and restaurants, or small cafes, nearly every business in Merced is feeling the pressure of coronavirus – and taking special precautions to prevent its spread.

A day after directing bars, wineries and nightclubs to close, California officials on Tuesday said restaurants should shut their dining rooms and turn to selling food via takeout, delivery and drive-thrus.

The dining room closures aren’t mandatory, but rather “guidance” to best prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The atmosphere on Merced’s Main Street on Tuesday – St. Patrick’s Day – was far more subdued than a typical day. Whereas many business owners would be making preparations for a throng of holiday customers, instead they were getting ready to either close their dinning rooms or have takeout-only service.

Joey Essig, co-owner of Main Street bars 17th Street Pub and The Partisan, is among the Merced businesses owners who had to make tough decisions this week.

The Partisan is known for live music, showcasing local and regional bands. The 17th Street Pub offers higher-end beer and beverages.

Essig said he and his partners decided to close The Partisan until further notice. It wasn’t an easy decision, Essig said, but it was the right thing to do.

“You can’t fill your place up with people, especially for our employees. I don’t want them getting sick. I don’t want their families getting sick. I don’t want any of our customers getting sick or their families getting sick,” Essig said.

However, the 17th Street Public House will remain open for to-go orders for beer and wine. That includes bottles and cans.

Essig hopes Merced residents still guaranteed a paycheck will continue to support local businesses and their employees. He pointed out many locally owned businesses don’t operate on large margins. “This is the sort of thing that, if it goes on for a while, all these businesses will close,” Essig said.

Across the street from The Partisan on Main Street is Little Oven Pizza. Its co-owner Thaddeus Raczkowski said they have switched to takeout-only orders, and they are only allowing two customers in the store at a time.

Raczkowski said his business has also closed its restroom to customers. Little Oven Pizza currently has 13 workers, and Raczkowski said his business will do its best to keep everyone employed through the tough period.

Closure of dining rooms isn’t only challenge

Restaurant owners say the pandemic is impacting their business in other ways.

Junior Mejia, manager of Aces and Kings Cheesesteaks on Main Street, said items like chicken are selling out at stores. That’s affecting food business’ ability to make a menu and keep items in stock. “But we’re trying really hard to pre-order so that we can freeze things and have them ready for the customers,” he said.

Mejia said Aces and Kings Cheesesteaks is closing its dining room and using services like DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub. “We’re canceling dine-in so that we can do more takeout, pick-up so that customers are not having to deal with the sitting around other people, it’s just really quick in and out,” Mejia said.

Oscar Torres, co-owner of downtown’s J&R Taco, said he’s seen a decrease in customer attendance, and he’s also trying to implement safety procedures to make customers feel comfortable. “We are still open. We are trying to provide mostly to-go food,” Torres said.

“We are opening all our to-go online services DoorDash, Grubhub, all the stuff. Also people can call us and we can take orders over the phone, online.”

Torres said customers can still dine in at his restaurant, but they are encouraged to take food to go – or at least stay 6 feet away from others if they decide to eat there.

Other big impacts to downtown

Restaurants and bars aren’t the only businesses taking big hits in Merced.

The Merced Multicultural Arts Center in downtown Merced, which houses an arts gallery and is the location of a variety of community events and classes, said it has closed its doors until April 6.

“While we firmly believe the arts are a communal experience vital to our mental health and are particularly crucial in these challenging times, our first priority is to keep our visitors, patrons, artists, and staff safe,” wrote Colton Dennis, the center’s executive director.

On the plus side, Dennis mentioned in the same email that there are no plans to lay off any of the center’s staff, and encouraged the public to continue supporting with donations.

Regal Cinemas, which operated two theaters in Merced, the Regal Hollywood Merced in downtown on Main Street and the Regal UA Regency near the Merced Mall, sent an email to media agencies saying all of its theaters nationwide are closed until further notice.

“It’s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees and guests. We value your patronage and have no doubt we will be serving you again as soon as possible with a full slate of Hollywood blockbusters,” the email said.

“We will continue to update the status of all theatres on our mobile app and online at REGmovies.com. We will contact you with reopening details once available. We sincerely wish good health for you and your families during these uncertain times.”

This story was originally published March 17, 2020 at 6:47 PM.