ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Five days after the Florida Craft Brewers Association sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis and flooded social media asking for help, the state says it is willing to start talks with them on how to reopen safely.
Secretary of the Department of Business and Professional Regulation Halsey Beshears tweeted that he’ll start meeting with brewery and bar owners next Friday to start conversations.
That doesn't sound soon enough for one local brewery owner.
“Why do we have to wait until next Friday?" questioned Tina Ryman, co-owner of Marker 48. "Breweries need help now, we need a lifeline thrown at us now. A lot of us can't afford to wait another week before conversations even begin.”
Ryman co-owns her brewery with her husband. She says when they were shut down the first time they found ways to make do. Now, things are much worse.
“The first shut down, we were able to receive aid we were able to receive federal funds. And, we were just much busier with to-go," said Ryman. "This second shutdown we have received nothing we have received no help from the state no help from the feds. And, to-go sales are dismal because people can just go right down the road and order a beer at a bar because they happen to have french fries there, too.”
The second shutdown has caused their business to furlough much of its staff--again.
Marker 48 is hoping to turn things around now that they've been approved for a food license, but it was costly.
“That's an added cost to a small business who's already been shut down more days and they have been open," said Ryman.
If things continue in the current direction, its financial feasibility will disappear.
“Um, well, I can tell you that in the last 28 days that we were closed, we were only doing about six-percent of the business that we were doing last year at this time," said Ryman.
The small business owner is hoping for the best, but can't help but fear the worst if things don't turn around soon.
“So I am truly scared. I don't know what's going to happen day to day. And just the unknown of that when you have your entire life savings in this business that you care so much about and you've invested so much time and energy and love into and money. The unknown is what is the scariest “
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