Inland Empire Bars, Wineries Rejoice In Reopening
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) -- Residents in Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange counties could venture out to a bar and crack open a cold one Friday night for the first time in months.
In downtown Riverside, people were ready to place their orders. While many celebrated, some said they were a bit nervous about the experience.
"It's weird being out with people, it really is," said Tanya Richards, who went out to Heroes to have a few drinks with her friend, Cliff Allison.
Once they got there, their nerves set in.
"When I pulled up, there was a crazy amount of people here," Allison said. "I said to her, 'That's a lot of people. Do you feel uncomfortable?'"
They decided to go inside, where they found fewer seats at the bar that had been socially distanced. California's new state guidelines say groups that go out together should keep their distance from others.
Business owners said they're doing everything they can to make patrons feel comfortable.
"It's been a challenging last three months," said Dave Wiens from Wiens Winery in Temecula. "We survived it, and we're just so happy to be open today."
The winery staff has revised their cleaning protocol and transitioned from open wine tastings to seated ones to keep groups separated.
Winery and bar owners say it's going to be challenging enforcing the state's guidelines, but they'll do their best.
"If people want to sit close to each other, they're gonna," said Heroes General Manager Geoff Neely. "We're not going to tell them don't do that."
Los Angeles is the only county in the state where bars and movie theaters are still not allowed to reopen.
