Austin bar turns into restaurant to stay open amid pandemic

AUSTIN, Texas - For over a month, entertainment districts have been ghost towns due to an executive order put out by the governor back in June. Recently, a bar has opened back up on West 6th street under a different business model, and it's legal.

Governor Greg Abbott's executive order closed businesses that make more than 51%of their sales with alcohol to slow the spread of COVID-19. Bars and similar businesses were forced to shut down for a second time during the pandemic.

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On Friday night, Key Bar was back open for business. The bar has gone under a management agreement with Taco Flats food truck and La Holly. The agreement allowed the business to apply for a food and beverage license which they were granted last week.

Under the new license, Key Bar has transitioned into a restaurant neighborhood bar. This means the business must now sell 51% and 49% alcohol as opposed to the usual 51% alcohol it used to make.

Taco Flats food truck is now enclosed in the bar. Simon Madera, owner of Taco Flats and La Holly says customers must buy some sort of food item from the truck in order to be served alcohol. This allows the business to keep up with the food ratio for the license. 

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Madera says he is glad to see customers again and hopes other bars on Sixth Street try out this business model so other bars can open back up.

“To me, its, yeah, I want everybody to do it. I want everybody to be open. I don't want to see places closed. It's not good for us. It's not good for the economy and it's not good for the community,” said Madera.

Customers must wear a mask, be seated at a table, and social distance in order to be served.

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