In the middle of June, things were starting to improve for bars, restaurants, and veterans’ clubs across Indiana after the complete shutdowns of March, April and May. However, a surge in COVID-19 cases led to changes state-wide that are disproportionately impacting this group of business owners. Now at the end of August, these businesses still face significant restrictions on their operations, and in some counties, they are not open at all. Combined with confusion over the ordinances and uneven enforcement of restrictions, owners are frustrated and not sure what to do next.
Larry Arthur, owner of The Office Lounge in Bloomington, IN shared, “When the COVID-19 virus started, I had a very successful business for almost fifty years. Almost overnight, the wheels came off. I know this virus has affected everyone but I feel bars and taverns were hit the hardest. Many places had to close completely, but I kept my business open to mainly be sure my employees had wages coming in, and in a selfish way, to make sure I had employees to work for me after the virus was under control and people were back to work. I paid ALL my employees whether they actually worked or not. As of this writing, on August 18th, 2020, I have lost over $700,000 with no end in sight.”
It is hard to imagine when bars, taverns, restaurants, and veterans’ clubs will be back to normal business operations. When they are back, they will have very deep holes to dig out of to maintain their long-standing businesses. Legalization of VGTs in Indiana could be the most important small business initiative in the history of our state, giving thousands of businesses a new revenue stream.
Learn more about how VGTs can be the light at the end of the tunnel we are currently in at www.VGTsforIndiana.com.