As businesses enter Phase 2, in Washington, Ballard’s Brewery Coalition unify to keep staff and guests safe.
Announced a few weeks ago, during the ongoing protests for African-American equality, the breweries of Ballard via their organization the Ballard Brewed Coalition, announced the re-opening of brewery-owned taprooms. With support for 25% indoor seating capacity, and 50% outdoor seating capacity, the breweries in Seattle’s historic Ballard neighborhood appear unified towards reopening. As Seattle is in King County, these businesses had to obey the guidelines associated with a Modified Phase 1.5 reopening, during the COVID-10 global pandemic. However, as of this article, King County has entered Phase 2, this changes little for capacity requirements at these locations.
But what makes the reopening of Ballard brewery taprooms interesting is that each brewery in the neighborhood has agreed to a set of best practices, designed to not only keep staff and guests safe but also support one another.
image courtesy Reuben’s Brews
Reaching out to breweries Lagunitas, Maritime Pacific Brewing, Obec (pronounced O-Bets), Populuxe, Reuben’s Brews, Stoup, and Urban Family; we learned that many business owners are following the following guidelines - agreed upon by the Ballard Brewed Coalition.
Outdoor seating will be restricted to no greater than 50% capacity, while indoors will be no greater than 25%.
Bar seating is restricted during Phase 1.5/2.
Tables will remain 6’ apart or protected by a barrier and will not be moved. In some cases it might mean a large reduction in indoor/outdoor seating, due to constraints on property layouts.
Adequate signs will direct guests to maintaining social distancing throughout each taproom.
Parties will be restricted to 5 or less, including children and dogs. Children and dogs will remain with the party at all times or accompanied by an adult whenever need to use the restroom.
Most breweries are asked to avoid accepting reservations. Should maximum capacity be reached, breweries are encouraged to direct waiting guests to visit one of the Ballard breweries in the area and return later if they wish.
Hand Sanitizer will be provided whenever supplies are available.
Contact Tracing. To support contact tracing, in the event of a localized outbreak, breweries encourage guests to register their contact information. After 30 days the information will be expunged and submitting information is voluntary.
The following surfaces will be wiped after each guest use;
Point of Sale (e.g. Registers, Touchscreens)
Tables and chair backs
Door handles
Light switches
Water stations
Restroom fixtures, etc.
Most breweries will not offer samples during Phase 2
Water will be offered at the bar if no station is present.
Finally breweries are asking the following of guests;
Bus your own table
Wear a mask whenever not seated.
Follow signs leading to restrooms, obeying social distancing, or other important points of interest.
Volunteer your contact information for contact tracing.
Avoid missed openings by checking hours online, which will change as businesses migrate between phases.
Arrive patient and polite as everyone is eager to restore normalcy to the community.
While these bullet points might reassure you, it doesn’t answer the questions associated with how businesses are taking care of their staff.
For starters, many of the breweries have been able to rehire a majority of their staff. Most who responded to our inquiry on employee retention during this depressed period, confirmed they had kept their staff. Others, like Populuxe Brewing Company, suffered during this period.
Populuxe hopes to have 90% of our pre-coronavirus workforce return. Part of our previous business model included an event space which we're working on retooling for to-go beer. Once that work is complete, we're hoping to increase our staffing levels.
To address the question of PPE (personal protective equipment), every brewery that answered in our inquiry has confirmed they are supplying masks to their staff. Some are providing disposable masks or allowing cloth masks to be worn. Meanwhile, breweries like Lagunitas are taking the extra step to provide masks to their guests as well upon request.
If you supported the breweries in Ballard during the shutdown, the only option available was takeout. For many breweries, paid time off has remained an option as has been sick leave and reassignment to greater, contactless, areas of the brewery. An example of this individual support was explained by Grace Robbings, co-owner of Reuben’s Brews.
Prior to the pandemic, Reuben's Brews has offered a generous paid leave plan (above and beyond the state required Paid Safe and Sick Time) to its employees, 100 percent of whom are full-time and eligible for benefits. In addition, we have allowed our team to use beyond their accrued leave balances should they be feeling ill or need to isolate, so employees need not worry about losing pay if they are doing their part to keep the team and the rest of society safe and healthy. We have offered alternative duties to any employee who wishes to limit their interactions with guests.
Finally, each responding brewery has confirmed they will provide masks for those guests who arrive without one.
Throughout our investigation, there was a common theme, - togetherness. With every brewery respondent’s answers it was clear the breweries in Ballard are unified in supporting each other and protecting their staff and guests. It doesn’t take much deduction to see the breweries of the Ballard Brewed Coalition are like you, fighting to get the neighborhood and daily life back to normal.
A special thanks to the following breweries who responded to our inquiry.
Unfortunately, breweries Bad Jimmy’s, Fair Isle, Lucky Envelope Brewing, and Peddler’s Brewing failed to respond prior this article.
For more information on the Ballard Brewed Coalition, visit http://www.visitballard.com/ballardbrewed/.
