Bars are getting ready for the Big Game and hoping people come out to watch
WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – With the COVID curfew now at 11 p.m., Sunday is the first time in quite a while some people will be watching a night game from start to finish.
Bars are getting ready for the Big Game and hoping people come out to watch.
Kickoff is at 6:30 p.m. and by that time, bar stools will likely be filled with people ready to cheer on their favorite team.
“They sit the entire length of the game and heckle each other and yell at the TV a lot. It’s a lot of fun,” said Becky Mercer, manager of Crickets in Youngstown.
For some fans, its the heckling or the beer and wings. Other are are excited for the atmosphere.
“People seem to be excited to be back out in a way for a longer period of time,” said Dan Hackett, owner of Hackett’s Pub.
At both Crickets Bar and Hackett’s Pub, it’s all about the food specials.
“We pump out a lot of wings that day. We usually pump out between 15 and 17 cases of wings. It’s a lot,” Mercer said.
The sandwich menu at Hackett’s are sure please fans of any team.
“It’s the best five sandwiches I’ve ever seen on one sheet of paper I can tell you that,” Hackett said
Crickets will be open bright and early at 11 a.m. doing take out orders, which they expect to be big.
“You can order six to 100 and break them up into increments and we throw them in a pan for you,” Mercer said.
Hackett’s is taking on a later crowd and opening at 5 p.m. The bartenders who work there are looking forward to pulling in a younger crowd with the later curfew, but it’s been the regulars that have kept them going.
“It hasn’t affected us too bad because we have a good group of regulars that come in,’ said Belle Villaplana, bartender.
The regulars are helping by coming in earlier because of the curfew, now they can stay later.
“We’re excited for the 11 o’clock,” said Cassie Keller, bartender.
But when its time to go its time to go.
“We do take charge at that point and put closing time on the juke box, and we start to turn some lights off and everyone seems to abide by it,” Hackett said.
Starting next week, that 11 o’clock could again become 3 o’clock, and bar owners and workers say they’re ready.
“We’re just going to jump right back in. We’re waiting for it. We are ready for it. We are going to, obviously, have to adjust our sleep schedules,” Mercer said.