Photo by Tyler Nelson
Life will be better when reading the acronym-dash-number in every paragraph isn’t a thing. The sad truth is that it’ll probably be this way for a while. I’ll just get it out now: COVID-19 is out there and if people aren’t smart about it, many more people will be affected. There.
Some think of O’Lydia’s as a bar in Walker’s Point that’s been there for a while, where you can go have a good time with a group. There’s nothing wrong in thinking that. Over the last few years, their food became something people are coming back for, in even bigger groups. Daily specials make that decision a lot easier.
In an effort to continue providing for their cooks, servers and bartenders, O’Lydia’s offers their whole menu in carryout-fashion during this time of social distancing.
Photo by Tyler Nelson
“We thought we had a chance to do some to-go food,” says Rick Sackett, manager of the bar and grill, when asked about St. Patrick’s Day during coronavirus. “But we didn’t think it’d be nearly as much as it was. We went through over 400 to-go boxes and served over 250 people.”
Sackett hopes to replicate that success with the already popular daily specials, but is also interested in curating interesting packages from the bar-side of things.
“We’re hoping that Wednesday Wings and our Friday Fish Fry help carry us through,” says Sackett. “We’re gonna really start trying to sell alcohol along with food to go. We’ve got a couple cases of growlers coming in and we’ll start packaging bottles with mixers in combination with gift certificates.”
As he said that, one of the servers called out from behind the bar, “A Claw-rantine!” Hard seltzer probably does make the quarantine more tolerable.
Management at O’Lydia’s are trying to keep staff fully intact, but did ask if any servers would voluntarily give up hours to those that need them while they can’t use their large dining space.
“I don’t think we’ll be completely closed,” says Sackett. “As long as we have enough to at least pay our people a little bit, we’ll make it through this.”
Sackett doesn’t know how long his business will be limited, but he’s already talking about getting together with other bars in Walker’s Point and setting up a St. Paddy’s Day make-up party once they’re legally allowed to do it.
