Ben Heilman News Today

Starting Tuesday at 10 a.m., public alcohol consumption will be allowed in a designated area of downtown Hickory as part of the Downtown Hickory Social District.

Ben Heilman didn’t watch Gov. Roy Cooper’s announcement to ease COVID-19 restrictions on Wednesday. He wasn’t expecting any changes for his business, the Craft Beer Cellar in Hickory. Later, he saw online that bars that do not serve food would be allowed to open for on-site service for the first time since March 2020. The new rules mean that on Friday, Heilman can serve customers beer on site for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic first closed businesses last year. “...