BOSTON — The foreseeable future of bars and clubs is on shaky ground with restrictions on large crowds until further notice.
It’s an industry that worries it could largely be wiped off the map before getting the green light to re-open in Massachusetts.
The new era of “clubbing” currently consists of people packing onto virtual platforms with DJs live streaming from their homes. Owners of bars, clubs and others in the Boston nightlife industry are left to wonder how and when the energy will return to shuttered venues.
“The biggest difficulty is not knowing what capacity is going to be,” said Ace Gershfield, president of 6one7 Productions. “Our industry has the closest level of interaction, so it’s understandable that we might be last on the ist.”
Ace Gershfield, who also owns Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale, has been doing event marketing in the Boston area for more than two decades.
Gershfield said he is determined to adapt to the changing times whenever bars and clubs can resume operations.
“We could possibly add more tables and roped off VIP areas in our nightclubs,” explained Gershfield. “For IDs, we’ll have scanners. We’ll have touchless entry so people can pay Venmo. All our bouncers and promoters will have masks.”
For now, Gershfield continues to brainstorm creative ways to keep doing business while practicing social distancing.
“We’re setting up moving dance parties with DJs on flatbed trucks. If you want to have a DJ show up for a 30 minute to an hour long set outside your house…we’ll pull up with balloons and the fog machine guns,” said Gershfield.
There are also prolonged hardships on the horizon for bars and restaurants that rely on foot traffic from sports fans and concert goers.
“Our model is game crowd, concerts, brunch and nightlife,” said bar owner John Caron. “We’re in a really tough position.”
John Caron owns West End Johnnie’s near TD Garden and Fenway Johnnie’s near Fenway Park.
“We of course need fans and there’s not even workers around. It’s going to be difficult to navigate through it,” said Caron.
Caron predicts bars are going to likely have to remove stools and prohibit standing at first. He also expects drinks will be served in plastic cups.
“There are going to be so many variables, and we’re trying to do our best to get through it,” added Caron. “We just sit and wait...it’s pretty devastating.”
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