BEL AIR, Md. — With its bar business and events shut down during the pandemic, Black Eyed Suzie’s on South Main Street in Bel Air is relying upon its restaurant to survive, but Owner Brian Acquavella says that has been a challenge.
“I mean five, six, seven busiest days---the Mothers Days, the Fathers Days, the Easters. You know we’ve lost them all and we’re trying to be as creative as possible, but you can only do so much and innovate so much,” said Acquavella.
While holiday decorations adorn the restaurant, the cheer has subsided somewhat from last December when the business had its best month.
It is now appealing to customers on Facebook to get creative as well---ordering big food orders for the office, prepared meals for the home or even whiskey, wine and cocktail training's.
“You know another couple of hundred dollars per day is the difference between us being here in January and February when hopefully this is over,” said Acquavella.
The restaurant has effectively utilized a dozen tables under a large tent outside, but the weather may soon shut that down and the governor’s recent order pushing closing time back to 10 has made it even tougher to survive.
“Having the restaurants close at 10. It’s not that we’re closing at 10. We’re closing at 8:30, because we still have to give you an experience, and if I let you in at 9:15, I’m shorting your experience then I’m making us look bad,” said Acquavella. “We’re basically closing at 8:30 and that’s just an impossible business model to navigate through, especially during the cold months.”
Black Eyed Suzie’s is open Monday through Saturday from 11 to 10 and Sundays from 10 to 10.
