This story has been updated to reflect additional business closures in response to potential COVID-19 exposure.
At least six downtown Paducah businesses have temporarily closed their doors due to coronavirus exposure including: Barrel and Bond, The FoxBriar Cocktail Bar, Paducah Beer Werks, Maiden Alley Cinema, Etcetera Coffee House, and Dry Ground Brewing Company.
An employee of downtown cocktail bar Barrel and Bond reportedly tested positive for the virus.
Levi McDuffee, an owner of Etcetera Coffee House in downtown Paducah,said many downtown businesses share the same customers and the temporary closure is a cautionary measure.
“I think, you know, you have a moral responsibility to do that, right?” McDuffee said. “We just felt that because we knew this person and knew for sure that they were COVID positive that it would be irresponsible not to shut down with the rest of everybody, at least until we all get tested.”
Etcetera Coffee House, as well as Barrel and Bond, The FoxBriar Cocktail Bar, Maiden Alley Cinema and the Dry Ground Brewing Company announced their temporary closures on social media after acknowledging “some of our downtown family have been hit with positive cases of COVID-19.”
Paducah Beer Werks owner Todd Blume on July 16 told WKMS one of his employee’s partners tested positive for coronavirus and he is treating their strong exposure to coronavirus as a positive case for the restaurant. Blume has instructed his staff to get tested for the virus.
“To take precaution we went ahead and shut down and did a full sensitization, and told everyone just to hold off,” Blume said. “One employee already got tested and is waiting on results. Another employee, their significant other tested positive. So we're treating that as a positive test.”
Blume said many of his customers are praising the restaurant for taking serious precautions.
“So far, we've had very positive results from the community. They're thankful that we are taking it seriously, because there are businesses that may not take it as serious,” Blume said. “You know, we feel like we need to be a leader in the community.”
Test results for the Paducah Beer Werks staff are expected to come in on Monday.
Blume said future hours of operation will be dependent on the percentage of staff which tested negative for the coronavirus.
Paducah Beer Werks has been closed since July 12 out of an abundance of caution. The pub was notified by the local health department that a previous customer, who tested positive for coronavirus, went to Paducah Beer Werks while awaiting their COVID-19 test results.
Etcetera Coffeehouse, Maiden Alley Cinema and Dry Ground Brewing Company are financial supporters of WKMS.
