Pa. taverns and clubs in ‘survival mode’ as they seek relief amid coronavirus pandemic
Updated Feb 03, 2021;
Posted Feb 03, 2021
The Pennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Association testified Feb. 3 in front of the State House Commerce Committee. Bar and restaurant owners in the state like Matina Moka, manager of Rod s Roadhouse Cafe Bar & Grill in Swatara Township, are not allowed to serve diners at their bars under Gov. Tom Wolf s COVID-19 mitigation orders.
File photo by Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com
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Locally-owned mom and pop bars and taverns in Pennsylvania painted a picture Wednesday of an industry struggling to stay afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Pa. restaurants call for financial help, reforms to survive blows from coronavirus pandemic
Updated Jan 27, 2021;
Posted Jan 27, 2021
Diners sit outside in front of Cafe Fresco Center City in Harrisburg last summer. Co-owner Jen Fertenbaugh stressed during a House Commerce Committee hearing on Jan. 27 that Pennsylvania s restaurants need reform and financial help in order to survive.
File photo Edward Sutelan
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Struggling Pennsylvania restaurant owners Wednesday stressed a dire need for relief or thousands of restaurants could be in jeopardy of closing.
Representatives of the industry made their concerns clear during a state House Commerce Committee hearing. Amid stories of laid-off employees, financial losses and constant constraints, they asked lawmakers for reforms and financial help.
The hearing comes at a time when restaurants and bars in the state are operating under restrictions imposed by Pa. Government Tom Wolf to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Restaurants operate with an indoor capacity of 50%, there is no seating at the bar, a 23:00 drink sale is closed and the mandatory sale of food with alcoholic drinks is mandatory.
Across the country, other states such as Ohio and New York have measures in place, including a 10pm curfew. Many cities like Chicago have recently lifted eating bans as the number of COVID cases is declining.
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John Longstreet, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, stressed that the industry has been hit hardest in the country. He said Pennsylvania restaurants are facing some of the most draconian mitigation efforts.
Vodka and cognac. Among others.
The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board tracks total sales by type of alcohol, brand and size. NBC10 asked them for the list of top sellers by county.
In the map below, you can see which brands of booze sold best in each county last year. Just click on a county to see the top three items.
In Philadelphia, Hennessy Cognac VS 80 Proof tops the sales list, with more than $5.6 million worth of its 750 mL bottles sold in 2020. That s more than double any other liquor bottle.
The second-most popular alcohol in Philadelphia Tito s Handmade Vodka topped the sales numbers in surrounding Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, particularly the 1.75 L unflavored bottles.