GREENSBORO, N.C. — Many of us rang in the New Year at home this year, with bars and restaurants closing early.
But that didn't stop some businesses from offering their services.
Dram and Draught in Greensboro said their patio area stayed packed until they closed at 9 p.m. Thursday.
Manger Rolando Pettigrew said for them the extra effort put into offering to-go drinks and outdoor seating was well worth it.
“We stopped sales at 9 o'clock last night you would think we ran a whole weekend,” Pettigrew said. "It was truly amazing to see a lot of our regulars come out.”
The whiskey bar offered limited outside dining and a New Year celebration folks could take home.
“They came in quick grabbed to-go drinks and left,” Pettigrew said. “We had a decent crowd the patio stayed filled up I had my rear end handed to me.”
Pettigrew said choosing to keep the New Years Eve celebration alive even with coronavirus restrictions was well worth it.
“I said no matter what we're going to be a neighborhood bar we really keep our regulars and patrons in mind as well as our community,” Pettigrew said. “It was heartwarming to see they keep us with them as well.”
Pettigrew said seeing the community's support was a great way to say farewell to 2020.
“My bills thanks them, my son thanks them my rent thanks them,” Pettigrew said.
But not everyone was so lucky.
Machete Kitchen and Cocktails in Greensboro had big plans for New Year's Eve, but just like everything else in 2020 owner Tal Blevins said that didn't go as anticipated.
“New Years was no exception,” Blevins said. “One hour before service on new years eve we found out one of our employees tested positive for covid-19.”
The 50 guests who reserved tables to ring in the new year at Machete had to make other plans, along with the two dozen who ordered to go kits to celebrate at home.
“We had to say the money is not worth it for us if there's a possibility that someone could potentially be exposed to covid-19,” Blevins said.
The lights will stay off for now and a closed notice will hang outside their door until every staff member has a negative coronavirus test result.
“We're also doing a through disinfecting of the entire space before we open up," Blevins said. "We hope to be open next week but we have to wait on those test results."