Long Beach has closed bars, wineries and other drinking establishments in accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s March 15 directive to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Though some patrons had already been avoiding bars and clubs, others went out Sunday, one last time—at least for a while.
How long the establishments will stay closed, a critical bit of information for owners and workers alike, is unclear.
“What’s going to happen to us?” Michael Moselli, owner of Brushstrokes and Beverages, said. “The last thing I ever thought in my life is that I would go out of business because of a virus.”
Still, all owners and workers interviewed for this story said they understood the need for caution.
“We have older clientele here. We have people I’m concerned about,” said John Barnes, owner of The Silver Fox. “My degree is in biology; zoology. I understand these numbers. I want everybody to get through this.”