Coronavirus In Minnesota: Despite Devastating Loss Of St. Patrick's Day Business, O'Donovan's Pub Owner Backs Closures
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- On the eve of St. Patrick's Day, arguably the busiest day of the year for O'Donovan's Pub in downtown Minneapolis, staff aren't preparing for a rush of customers. They're trying to figure out what they'll do next.
Owner Dermot Cowley says the writing was on the wall well before local and state leaders decided to close bars and restaurants Monday to stop the spread of COVID-19.
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"We just decided to pull the plug effective immediately," Cowley said.
It started several days earlier when its neighbors, First Avenue and Target Center, stopped hosting large events. That led to a drop in customers. Then came last weekend, when the restaurant was expecting a big crowd for early St. Patrick's Day festivities.
"This past Saturday the 14th, we should've been gang busters. We did about a tenth of what we'd expected to do and had been planning to do," Cowley said.
The proof is in the basement cooler, where stacks of untapped kegs and stocked liquor shelves sit untouched. The surplus booze was bought specifically for the weekend and holiday crowd.
"For us here, it was always, 'OK, you know you come through your winter, get to St. Patty's Day and we'll be OK.' And now you lose that, and it's a big impact," he said.
Gov. Tim Walz's order to shut down bars and restaurants made an exception for those offering carry-out and delivery. One manager of a restaurant in Uptown told WCCO they plan to shift their dining room staff to taking phone calls, delivery orders and wherever else he can find them work. Several managers at other restaurants were too distraught to even talk about their future plans. They're worried for their staff and their business' ability to survive a prolonged closure.
Cowley hopes to open his doors again, with his sights set on Memorial Day Weekend. That's when the now-postponed Major League Baseball season could start. Many of O'Donovan's customers are people attending Twins games at nearby Target Field. But during that eight-week stretch, he too worries about his employees.
"For some of them, this is their only livelihood," Cowley said.
O'Donovan's opened 21 years ago, with Cowley in charge for all but one. He said they've weathered several storm during the two decades, including a NBA lockout and the 2008-2009 recession. The aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak trumps all of those, he said, adding that the response to stopping the spread is necessary.
"We all gotta band together and do what's right. And, you know, there's no criticism of the mayor or any other health official on this. It's the right thing to do," Cowley said.
If there's any silver lining, the state increased the money in its unemployment insurance fund. Changes were also made so applicants can get benefits quickly instead of dealing with a one-week wait period. The state would prefer applicants sign up online to avoid typing up phone lines. Click here to apply.
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