IRONDEQUOIT, N.Y. — ​COVID-19 has pretty much crushed holiday business for restaurants this year, but the Union Tavern on Culver Road in Irondequoit is spreading some holiday cheer by way of gingerbread.

Union Tavern is getting creative and helping it feel more like Christmastime. The kitchen smells of gingerbread for the first-ever Union Tavern gingerbread house kits to-go. Manager Aimee Rock came up with the idea to sell the gingerbread kits, so when she isn't greeting customers, pouring drinks, and running food, she's baking as much gingerbread as she can.

"I get up at 5:30 in the morning and sometimes I am up until 2 in the morning, so it’s a lot," joked Rock.

Rock is a soon-to-be MCC hospitality and culinary graduate, who is using a gingerbread recipe from class to bake and sell $12 Union Tavern gingerbread house kits.

"My daughter loves building these, so I was like let me try to make it," said Rock. "I thought it was a silly idea that no one would really be that interested in but I had no idea. We are still getting calls and emails all day long, and I’m trying to wrap my head around how much time I have."

The tavern's upstairs party room is a gingerbread kit assembly line for now. The kits are helping to boost the holiday spirit and business for Union Tavern that would typically be booked this time of year.

"I am blown away, it is so popular," said Kym Straton, Union Tavern employee. "One day it’s on Facebook, and the next day we are like oh boy! Aimee has been baking and I’ve been making. She’s the baker and I am the maker."

Rochester's Thomas Chew bought some gingerbread house kits for his family. His 5-year-old son Mazlow can't wait to start constructing.

"When we saw it, we got excited just because it’s new and different and we want to support local business with amazing people who we love," said Chew. "So, we ended up getting some kits for all four of us and for my sister-in-law and her family, just 'cause it’s fun."

Union Tavern sold 160 gingerbread house kits. The gingerbread kits are sold out for now, but Rock says to stay posted to the Union Tavern Facebook page for updates. She'll be baking more gingerbread any chance she gets.

Union Tavern is located at 4565 Culver Rd., Irondequoit. It's open Tuesday-Sunday.