MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Blind Bear is prepared to reopen for limited dine-in on Monday, but it will allow only about 25 percent of its normal capacity. It will be one of the few choosing to reopen the first day restaurants can open at a maximum 50 percent capacity under Memphis and Shelby County's "Back to Business" plan.
Blind Bear's regular capacity is 150 people, but it will have maybe 40 people at the most at a given time. Manager Trey Washington said the staff will take safety precautions very seriously.
"Naturally anyone working in the kitchen or dining and bartending will have masks and gloves so on and so forth," Washington said.
The restaurant will have tables six feet apart available near the front of the restaurant and on the patio. Once the bar area opens again, there will be limited seating spaced apart from one another. Its asking customers to still take precautions when dining in to protect themselves and the staff.
"We're still trying to decide what we will require people upon entering," Washington said. "It’s a little hard to eat and drink with masks on."
Washington said the staff will be extra mindful in these early stages of letting people dine-in again.
"We're just trying to make sure that we're not packed to the point where people can’t practice safe distancing especially people who have been in close contact with others," Washington said. "We want to make sure everybody else in the community is comfortable with what’s going on as well."
Blind Bear will continue to offer take-out food and drinks and encourages customers to continue taking advantage of this.