There are many things we have learned in the past couple of months.So the shared experience of COVID 19 has demanded that we all make some changes. We have adapted our businesses to do more curbside pick-ups and to-go sales than normal. We have set up kits for our guests to enjoy our cocktails at home. Some business owners have had to make difficult sacrifices. Chris Williams of Lucille’s has taken profitability out of the equation just so he can keep his doors open, but also keep his employees fed and paid. Michael Neff of Cottonmouth Club has explicitly gone on record with the national media by saying that if saving lives means him losing his business, then so be it. He has also pointed out that losing a quarter or more of the bars in any city will have long-lasting consequences on the culture and vibrancy of the city.In Houston in particular, the former mayor invested millions of dollars in revitalizing downtown by focusing in the historic area around Market Square and Main St. It just so happens to be around the time when the craft cocktail revival was at its peak.I can tell you, as someone who participated in the education and promotion of a unified industry working to raise the level of craftsmanship in bartending, there was a lot of learning and collaborating. There was some travel to conventions and educational opportunities, and of course, there was a bit of drinking involved… just for the sake of learning…That said… when you have bars today that ignore the city’s, county’s or state’s requirements to social distance tables or customers, to have staff wear N95 masks for their safety and the guests… when bars close voluntarily, but then the state mandate is that ALL bars must close…. Having a NIGHTCLUB turned lounge/event venue pack their space a day after the state order comes in, is at the very least a big middle finger to anyone who has given a shit about getting out of this situation sooner rather than later. For that club to then post a picture of the BLM protest and claim that the club’s actions are not as bad as the protest, is an insult to the all of those people at the protest that also patronized and spent money at Cle or Spire and contributed to their success, but were also part of a protest for SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Chris Williams

Michael Neff