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FORT WORTH, Texas — Once again, bar owners across Texas feel they have no choice but to oppose the state and reopen. But this time, owners say they’ll stay open for good.
On Saturday, bar owners across Texas led by Chris Polone, owner of the Rail Club Live in Fort Worth, will defy Gov. Greg Abbott’s June 26 executive order that shut down bars to control the spread of COVID-19.
The event dubbed Come and Take It will kick off at 6 p.m. Polone said he expects about 1,000 bars to participate.
Bar owners across the state also opened up a month ago for one day during Freedom Fest, an event that was meant to show that bars could open up safely just like restaurants and how owners believed Abbott’s order was unfair. Polone asked why eating wings while drinking a beer stops COVID-19.
What’s enraged Polone and others is that Abbott gave his blessing to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to go ahead and open AT&T Stadium to fans. Jones has not revealed how many fans will be allowed, but wants fans in the stadium.
Polone said he has no other choice. The closures of bars has left him and others with no income and struggling to make ends meet. Tarrant County bars participating Saturday include the Rail Club Live, G Willickers Pub in Arlington and Cooter Brown’s in Burleson.
Like at Freedom Fest, bars will follow strict safety guidelines such as taking temperatures before customers enter, maintaining social distancing, requiring face coverings and having hand sanitizer available.
Polone said bars that don’t follow safety guidelines don’t have public safety in mind and go against the goal of the event.
“You don’t want to prove Abbott right,” he said.
To go even further, Polone has devised a unique plan for his venue where he’ll be selling .001% partnerships to patrons and when they leave, he’ll buy the partnerships back. If this goes through, in theory, people who buy partnerships will be able to have firearms in the bar, he said.
Everyone that will attend his venue is handpicked, Polone said. He has advised other bar owners to consult with their attorneys about whether they should sell partnerships or shares, but either way, bars are opening up.
Polone said the event is also made to call the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission’s bluff. He wants TABC agents to come and find them. At this point, Polone has had his liquor license suspended and has nothing else to lose, he said.
“They’re all bark, no bite,” he said.
The TABC didn’t immediately provide a comment. But the commission previously told the Star-Telegram that about 10,000 inspections have been conducted and 80 liquor licenses suspended.
Recently, the TABC voted on new rules which make it easier for eligible businesses to apply for a Food and Beverage certificate, which is the first step to operating as a restaurant, TABC Chris Porter said in an email on Wednesday. The new rules also lifts the requirement for an on-site kitchen and let bars become restaurants by partnering with food trucks and selling prepackaged food.
But, food sales still need to outpace alcohol sales. Bars that add a kitchen will then need to abide by restaurant procedures and inspections.
Polone believes the change doesn’t help bar owners. Some owners barely have money to keep their bars from closing down, but now they have to pay for another certificate to sell food, he said.
And some owners are so desperate they are going to dish out on this certificate, Polone said. He believes it’s a money-grab from the state.
If the TABC had the interest of bars in mind, they would pitch safety procedures for bars to open, Polone argues.
“Why would you pay the state money to restructure your business,” he said.