SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – Effective March 5, bars and restaurants in central New York can allow patrons to play games again in their establishments.
Janice Rockdashil is the co-owner of Rocky’s Pub in Liverpool. While the majority of her revenue comes from traditional drink and food service, she said getting dart and pool players back in the bar will only help get her back to pre-pandemic normalcy.
“It should definitely provide a boost people are anxious to get back out there and to get back to somewhat normalcy,” Rockdashil said. “Doing something like playing darts can be easily done adhering to all of the sanctions.”
The easing of restrictions is a relief for many businesses that rent dart boards and pool tables to bars in the area.
One of those is Doc Hilimire’s Stanton Automatics. Hilimire said that many politicians and people did not realize businesses like his existed and caused them to get forgotten early on in the pandemic.
“People don’t realize how many businesses rely on the restaurant industry,” Hilimire said. “When we were calling our senators and representatives we had to explain that we actually are a business.”
Hilimire has been operating solely on jukebox and ATM revenue for over a year. He said that also getting back the dart and pool leagues will be important for his business.
“A main part of our business is dart and pool leagues, we run the leagues it brings people into the establishments, we are in the process of trying to get some leagues going for the spring,” Hilimire said.
“It’s back, yep, we’ve already put stuff out there on social media that the boards would be back on at 11 o’clock Friday morning,” Rockdashil said.
The return of bar games is just one more step on the way back to normalcy for restaurant owners across the state.
