JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The Fourth of July fireworks are officially off in Jacksonville Beach due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which could hurt some local businesses.
The small bar on the corner of 3rd Street and 3rd Avenue, Ginger’s Place, has been serving customers cold ones since 1976, but with plans changing for the Fourth, the future of the local spot is unknown.
“Everybody knows us for our Rocket Bombs," Ginger's Place owner Candy Breidert said.
As the Fourth of July creeps up, she has been holding onto the hope that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would allow bars to open up soon, like local restaurants have been able to.
Ginger’s is used to packed bar stools the day locals and tourists alike celebrate the red, white and blue.
“It’s our busiest day of the year," Breidert explained.
Although, she’s afraid this year will be different -- even if bars get the green light by the Fourth.
“Inviting tens of thousands of people into our downtown at night, in the dark would create a virtual impossibility to manage any type of social distancing," said Jacksonville Beach City Manager Mike Staffopoulos during Monday night's virtual council meeting.
Jacksonville Beach City Council voted Monday night to postpone the annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration over concerns about crowd size in the midst of the pandemic.
“Our revenue is down 90 percent. We’re just hanging on," Breidert said. A GoFundMe page and selling to-go packages to regulars just hasn’t cut it.
She was hoping to recover some of those losses on the upcoming holiday, but thinks without fireworks, people won’t be around Jax Beach to celebrate -- even if Ginger’s were able to open.
“I’m disappointed. I mean we’re really down to the wire on the money situation. After this week, I won’t have the money to pay employees," Breidert explained.