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LOS ANGELES – In less than 24 hours, Zach Negin’s wine bar went from busy to completely empty. He is spending what would be happy hour at Tabula Rasa Bar sorting through perishable items to give to his employees.

“Our first thought is the employees, what are they going to do,” said Negin.

This is the main question on the minds of small business owners in Los Angeles County. What will their employees do now that bars have been told to close their doors to reduce the COVID19 outbreak?

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“There’s not a playbook for this right now. Small business owners like us don’t have HR departments. It’s just us. So, we have to sort this out. And thankfully there’s a great community of restaurant owners and we are all talking to each other and see what everyone is doing,” said Negin.

This was the first day of the closure. Negin told his staff to come in for their final tips, a bottle of champagne, some groceries, and a see you soon. They feel like family, telling each other they will be there for one another through this uncertain time.

 

 

 

“It is a somber time, but trying to stay positive and look for how we get through this together,” said Negin.

One employee Ben Stephens says this was his only source of income and now he will have to rely on the little he has saved and see what happens next.

“The whole unknown of it all is definitely something that all of us are worried about, but we will get through it eventually. Hopefully it will be a shift in society’s view of each other at the end of all this” said Stephens.

But he remains positive that they will make it through and he will be back at the bar soon.

“Having these guys have our back, it’s cool to know that they are here to support us and we are always going to be ready to come back when we are allowed,” said Stephens.

And while we don’t know when that will be just yet, Negin understands why businesses need to close from a safety standpoint. He says this is a hard time for everyone, but we will all make it to the other side.

“I think people are going to feel the need to be out and around other people. I think cabin fever will be real, so that sense of community and togetherness will be really welcome,” said Negin.

With weeks of uncertainty ahead, Negin remains hopeful that he will be able to reopen and welcome his employees and customers back into his neighborhood bar.