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Indoor dining capacity increase overpowered by loss of outdoor seating

Some restaurants can't operate at 50 percent capacity, the new limit under current state guidelines, while social distancing.

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. — "It's northeast PA; it could snow on Halloween," said Andrew Nebel of the cooling temperatures across the region. Nebel manages The Turkey Hill Brewing Company pub near Bloomsburg, where the outdoor seating areas will soon vanish.

The space proved extremely popular over the summer, but soon, the unheated patios won't be so inviting.

"Are the sales going to outweigh the very expensive cost of a couple hundred dollar electric heater or the propane ones that you're going to have to put a $40 tank into it every other day?" asked Nebel.

Although new regulations allow them to invite more people into their dining room, they won't be adding anywhere near 17 tables in the interest of social distancing. Instead, they continue to pivot and change their business model.

They're canning beer for the first time in the brewery's nine-year history and extending hours to include lunchtime on Saturdays.

"The hope is to bring people in for some Penn State football," Nebel told Newswatch 16. "Since you can't go out (to the game) and create that tailgate football atmosphere to make people more comfortable and open to being outside even if it's a little chillier."

The autumnal weather is also troubling for The Blind Pig Kitchen in downtown Bloomsburg. It's a small cozy farm-to-table eatery seating just 32 people at full capacity.

Despite new rules, the owners are choosing not to get certified to operate at 50 percent capacity. Operating at 50 percent would mean adding a few more tables, but it would compromise 6-foot social distancing between groups.

"Because we are playing it conservative, people come in and say they feel comfortable, and they leave happy, but I think it's kind of our obligation to keep it that way for them," said owner Sarah Walzer.

The owners take great pride in growing and raising their own ingredients and offered dinner parties at their outdoor farm space on weekdays. With the weather closing in on their outdoor dinners, they'll likely lose money.

"We'll have to be creative like we have through the whole thing and just adapt and maybe offer more private dining experiences."

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