CHARLOTTE, N.C. — America, and the world, will collectively send 2020 packing at midnight Thursday. And while we all look forward to kissing 2020 goodbye, so are local business owners, like the folks at Pinhouse in Plaza Midwood.
The self-pour duckpin bowling alley opened in 2019 to, at the time, the largest grand opening ever for a self-pour beer hall, according to management.
Pinhouse and staff were expecting, and hoping, 2020 would continue to create growth, interest, and positive buzz about their business. But, 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans.
"First time to Pinhouse? Love it!” is the question you’ll hear walking into Pinhouse now from Adam Mann, its current general manager turned doorman, barkeep, and cleaning staff.
On one of the last week nights of 2020, the evening crowds Mann wanted or expected for 2020 do not exist. Instead, about 30 people a night after the work day is the new norm, according to Mann.
"We all need to be safe and get through these times, but we’ve got to find some kind of middle ground where businesses can survive,” Mann says.
The general manager adds, the ever-changing COVID regulations, as the pandemic waxes and wanes, is another source of headaches.
"Inconstinency with how businesses can operate. So, some businesses can have large capacities, where some businesses have small capacities, and it seems like it’s not managed by square footage. I don’t know how it’s managed,” Mann explains.
Under the current COVID-19 regulations on capacity, Mann says Pinhouse in Plaza Midwood can hold about 120 people. He noted, the average evening crowd of about 30 is much less than capacity allows.
In another sign of the times, Mann is the lone staff member behind the counter on a week night. He handles everything from check-in, explaining how the bar works to new customers, setting up bowling lanes, cleaning, and keeping an eye on Pinhouse until closing.
"Manageable, I guess is the best way to explain it. Unfortunately, we kind of got a bare and bones staff right now, due to everything our hourly staff, unfortuntely, we had to let them go until things get back to normal,” says Scotty Kent, Pinhouse’s Marketing Director.
The self-pour duckpin bowling alley opened in 2019, was expecting to have a one-year anniversary party this summer, and was going to try to top last year’s New Year’s Eve party, which Kent described as a major business and marketing success.
But now, Kent says they’re not sad to see 2020 hit the road, and all those events have been canceled.
In the meantime, Kent’s been emphasizing the bar’s outdoor space, social distancing requirements, and other measures to help assure customers it’s a safe place to be, and they’re taking COVID seriously.
"For example, that middle table, depending on how many people come in, that middle table if it gets too close will be blocked off and nobody will be permitted to sit there,” Kent explained while touring the upstairs pour room.
The canceled one-year anniversary party and inability to have a New Year’s Eve event due to the liquor-service curfew are major losses for a bar like Pinhouse, according to Kent.
However, he wants customers to know that on New Year’s Eve they will be open and have beers and bowling on tap
"Last year we had a huge party here, hundreds of people came out, unfortunately we're not able to do that this year. Us along with other small businesses are kind of struggling to find ways to keep our doors open,” he says.
While the beer is flowing and balls are rolling in the last minutes of 2020, there’s a new sound which will likely stay deep into 2021.
It’s the ‘tzz, tzz, tzz’ of a spray bottle of 3-second disinfectant after someone pours a beer, just another task to remember in a year the staff wants to forget.
Pinhouse will be open New Year’s Eve from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. They’ll reopen New Year’s Day from noon to 9 p.m. The bar is located at 2306 Central Avenue in Charlotte.
Kent and Mann say if you feel safe and comfortable venturing out, consider visiting and supporting a local business to start your New Year.