JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Like many businesses, Ginger’s Place in Jacksonville Beach was hit hard by COVID-19.
Owner Candy Payson stayed open, selling packaged alcohol to go, but she says her revenue was down 90%.
“We are just a neighborhood bar and we have a lot of friends that came in and bought packaged just out of kindness,” she told First Coast News.
She was able to reopen to customers, at half capacity, on June 5. But a week later, there was a coronavirus scare.
Three Jacksonville Beach bars closed because either their employees or customers tested positive for COVID-19.
“We’ve completely painted the whole thing and sanitized everything and we could still be hurt by someone not being responsible,” Payson said.
She’s asking customers to use hand sanitizer before ordering and she installed dividers at the bar.
First Coast News asked the city of Jacksonville about the possibility of rolling back parts of phase two if there is an increase in percent positive COVID-19 cases. In a statement, we were told, “There’s been no talk of rolling it back. Our percent of positive tests has continued to decline or stay flat and our hospitalization rate is consistently low.”
Payson warns if you don’t feel good – stay home.
“Everybody is scared and everybody wants to get out. Let’s do it responsibly and let’s take care of each other,” she said.