CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley announced a $4 million economic stimulus package just for restaurants. He said the hope is the newly allocated funds will help restaurants make it through the winter.
The funds are the last of the CARES Act dollars and will be awarded through grants of $5,000 or $10,000. Cranley said the funds can be used for any operating costs necessary to keep the restaurant up and running.
“Last week, we announced that we would forgive water bills for people who have suffered economic hardships during COVID,” Cranley said. “I’m very proud of that. This week, we’re announcing that we are going to do everything in our power to keep these bars and restaurants afloat through the winter.”
Cranley said with with no end to the pandemic in sight, bars and restaurants are projected to have a tough road ahead this winter.
“And now we’re heading into a spike in cases and a cold time where many people who have real health risks may not want to come inside.”
Andrew Salzbrun is a partner at Nation Kitchen and Bar Westwood. He said surviving in the restaurant industry is tough enough, but the pandemic has made it even tougher.
Andrew Salzbrun.
“We made the exciting and smart choice of opening a restaurant in the middle of a global pandemic, which is a little bit of a roll of a dice,” Salzbrun said.
He said it took more than two years to open the restaurant, but they had no intention of backing out when the pandemic hit.
“We are absolutely committed to this neighborhood of Westwood,” he said. “This is something that we promised them and something we wanted to deliver on.”
The consensus among the restaurant industry is that patio and outdoor spaces are not going to be as effective during the winter months due to the weather and the pandemic.
But Salzbrun said the grant money will allow his restaurant to pay for outdoor heaters and tents, so customers can continue to sit outside.
“Man, to be able to have that big bucket of money to pull from versus pulling from it over time is huge,” he said. “And not have to rack up debt to set ourselves up for success in these winter months is gonna be hyper-critical.”
The city is also rolling out a “Taste of Cincinnati” promotion all winter to encourage customers to dine out. Restaurants will offer food or beverage discounts and promotional specials such as buy-one-get-one free.
Salzbrun said that will also help bring guest in and keep the doors open.
“We are going to need the theme of support local to be present now more than ever,” Salzbrun said. “And at the same time, we want to be able to deliver on the promise of hospitality for those who do show up. We’re excited to be able to welcome them into the threshold of our restaurants and get them out of the new normal of working from home and being inside the four walls of their house.”
And while Cranley knows the stimulus package only carries so much weight, he’s hopeful more help will come in the form of another coronavirus economic stimulus package from legislators on Capitol Hill.
“As far as I know, these are the last dollars that we have, but I’m hopeful and talking to Sen. (Rob) Portman today that some stimulus will happen, additional stimulus for local communities to get through the winter,” he said.
For more information on the Taste Of Cincinnati All Winter Long promotion or restaurant eligibility, click here.
