MILWAUKEE — Wolski’s Tavern in Milwaukee has been a destination for decades, and for many years Paul Johnson has been working behind the bar serving customers. It is a job he has come to love, but the past year has been like nothing he ever expected.

“Crazy, nuts, unbelievable," Johnson said. "I could have never thought on March 16th last year we would be at where we are in this state, world, country. Feeling better about it now but it has been nuts.”

Spectrum News first met Johnson in March of 2020, when a public health order first required all bars and restaurants to close down. A year later, Johnson says he could have never imagined the pandemic would still being going on. He counts himself lucky, he has managed to keep his job at Wolski’s throughout the pandemic. During the early months when the pub was completely closed he helped to renovate the property. Now, with being open at a reduced capacity, he is able to get back to work.

Still, having fewer people inside has an impact on his income.

“Everyone’s personal bottom line is lower, we still have a lot of regulars here and we can hang in with 37 seats inside,” he said.

Johnson said one significant challenge of his job has been the added responsibility that comes with enforcing social distancing rules and masks. He noted that Wolski’s takes COVID-19 precautions seriously and that it can sometimes be a challenge to be tasked with reminding customers about the rules.