If you’re in Cressona and drive by Hot Rod Bar & Grill, you’ll notice this sign:
Hilarious, yes. But the scene inside Hot Rod’s isn’t too funny right now.
Since Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf issued his latest executive order closing bars and reducing capacity at restaurants to just 25%, the popular watering hole on Front St. in Cressona isn’t getting a lot of customers.
The business shares the plight of so many others across Schuylkill County and Pennsylvania right now.
Cressona Bar Serving Buttered Bread as a Meal to Flout Governor’s Orders
Co-owner Kirsten Sandler told us Saturday she’s not sure why people aren’t coming in but they’re not … at least not like they normally do.
Well, wait until they hear about the buttered bread special!
Sandler says the business will do whatever it takes to stay afloat. And that includes flouting some of the rules put in place last week by the overbearing Wolf.
For instance, even though Hot Rod’s kitchen isn’t open during the daytime, they’ve come up with a daytime menu that would allow customers inside.
Remember, having a beer without a meal is considered too dangerous and could lead to the spread of COVID-19. But serving food with those drinks is fine, according to the Governor.
So, now you can order anything from a ham or turkey sandwich to a piece of hot bologna or slice of buttered bread so you can safely enjoy your drinks.
That’s right … buttered bread, 50 cents a slice. It’s part of the “I just want to drink” menu at the bar AND grill.
Check out the new daytime menu at Hot Rod’s:
This puts the ball in Wolf’s court if he wants to niggle with bar owners over whether a slice of bread or a piece of bologna constitutes a meal.
Wolf even admitted that there will be businesses that “figure out a way to skirt this” during his press conference announcing the latest orders.
And since saddling up to the bar isn’t allowed right now, the staff at the Hot Rod decided to move some of its tables next to the bar.
Sandler and Hot Rod manager Kalene Anderson safely toast while enjoying some popcorn at a table next to the bar.
Adapting a Business
While it definitely seems unfair for the Governor to target only businesses he can really control and pinpoint them as the source of reported spikes in coronavirus infections across Pennsylvania, it does no good to stomp your feet about it.
Instead, the businesses that survive the pandemic will be the ones that quickly adapt to the ever-changing rules.
ALSO READ:
- State Reports 18 New COVID-19 Cases in Schuylkill County on July 17
- Wolf Says Food with Booze is Safer than Booze and No Food
- Wolf Closed Schuylkill County Bars Over 36 “New” Coronavirus Cases in July
- Governor’s Actions Wednesday “Could Be the Final Stake in the Heart” for Some Small Businesses in Schuylkill County
- Is Calling a Hamburger a “Hamburg” an Impeachable Offense?
Subscribe to Coal Region Canary
Get email updates from Coal Region Canary by becoming a subscriber today. Just enter your email address below to get started!
Frank
July 19, 2020 at 8:41 pm
Reminds me when Bill Clinton signed a law limiting corporate CEO salary tax deduction to $1 million. Wala- stock options were born.
Love this butter bread story. Earning a living in PA these days can be a lot tougher than government dependence. Hats off to this bar.
Jason Bourne
July 20, 2020 at 6:40 am
Bars are the highest risk place for covid-19. They should be shutdown.
Canary Commenter
July 20, 2020 at 9:33 am
How can you possibly believe that? Bars are one of less than a handful of businesses that the Governor has direct regulatory control over. That’s why he picked bars and restaurants. We’re sure that in a week or two, cases will drop and then he gets to say, “See, it worked. I was right.” He wasn’t shy about dumping Gatorade on his head over Pennsylvania’s response a few weeks ago.
Jason Bourne
July 19, 2020 at 11:34 pm
I’m glad Wolf has a brain in his head. This state could easily turn into the disaster that Florida and Texas is. That’s what happens when you put profits over people. The economy will recover. If everyone just abides by the rules this could happen much faster.
Canary Commenter
July 19, 2020 at 11:39 pm
A lot of businesses won’t recover. Some have already closed for good. Making every business owner who wants to make their own way and provide for the livelihoods of their employees is not evil. Go tell them that their business will recover.
Frank
July 20, 2020 at 6:34 am
Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart- all open.
Small bar owner- 25 percent.
Profits over people.
Wolf has you confused Jason
PTFloridians
July 20, 2020 at 10:09 am
Florida’s population is TWICE that of PA, with HALF the amount of deaths…are you confused?
Jason Bourne
July 20, 2020 at 10:24 am
I’ve gotten a few emails from you people and for some reason when I get redirected to the website I can’t see your replies so I will reply to you all at once. To canary commenter, bars and restaurants are the highest risk places for covid-19. Nobody can wear a mask while eating or drinking a beer. These places tend to get crowded so that’s why you limit the amount of people allowed in at one time. And to the guy who commented about Florida. Florida has about 15,000+ cases a day for the past week because Governor DeSantis is a fuckin’ moron. We don’t want the same to happen here.
Canary Commenter
July 20, 2020 at 11:38 am
You just keep curled up in the corner and wait for it to end.
Jason Bourne
July 20, 2020 at 4:31 pm
It’s like they say, you can’t teach stupid!
PTFloridians
July 20, 2020 at 10:18 pm
You’re right, you musta been born with it…
Disgusted with wolf
July 20, 2020 at 11:23 am
And every case in Florida is a positive even when they don’t take a covid test??? Florida has thousands of false positives going on which makes anything coming out of that state null and void so please do some research before you go shooting off your mouth at others. Wolfe is an idiot that is destroying our economy. Where was your fake outrage when the good governor was marching 6 inches away from thousands of protesters. Once he joined these rioters ALL his fake bs orders became null and void. Please go hide in your mother’s basement and leave the common sense to adults
Jason Bourne
July 20, 2020 at 4:32 pm
Please, get your medication adjusted.
Disgusted with wolf
July 20, 2020 at 6:55 pm
So prove my statement wrong. Of course you cant so you rely on insults. So pitiful