SAN ANTONIO – Some Bexar County bars are back open for business. Judge Nelson Wolff issued an executive order, which allowed hundreds of bars to reopen under additional health and safety protocols.
The judge said 425 bars out of nearly 3,000 in the county have remained closed, but only 25 will reopen.
Wolff acknowledged that reopenings may not be an option for everyone.
“Well they’ve been out of business for months. I think it was a rough calculation of 25% will never open” he said during Thursday’s daily briefing.
Frank Uresti’s dream became a reality when he opened Franky Diablos off of Roosevelt Avenue near East Mitchel five years ago.
Uresti described it as a bar fit for San Antonio. This bar is like many others that were closed down in March and later reopened in May, but closed again in June due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, it became too much and Uresti decided his dream was over.
“It got to the point we just couldn’t do it anymore,” said Uresti.
Uresti was not able to keep up with the rent and didn’t see business getting back to normal. He ended up closing in mid-July.
About 25 people, including DJs, bartenders, and security personnel lost their jobs. Uresti said the pandemic has left him without a job and without income.
The former bar owner holds on to hope he will one day be able to make his dream a reality again.
“Nobody wants to see their door close, but another shall open. We just got to see where it leads.”
Bexar County Commissioners approved a $4 million grant program on Tuesday aimed specifically at the area’s hard-hit bar and restaurant industry.