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'We are simply left to die,' bar owner struggles with uncertain future

"Give us an option," Koym said. "It's like if you have plants on your porch and you don't water them, they're going to die."

SAN ANTONIO — Cars pass by The Amp Room parking lot, but none pull in. Over the last six months of the coronavirus pandemic, it's what Todd Koym, the owner, can only describe as one thing.

"Depressing," he said solemnly over the phone.

Like many others, the St. Mary's Street bar has been forced to shut its doors for months and according to Yelp, 44% of the bars and clubs currently closed on its website will likely stay that way.

Koym fears his business is next.

"We are simply left to die," he said. "We're, if not, a month or two away from shutting our doors and just giving up. At some point you've got to move on."

While many bars have turned into restaurants, Koym said for his space it wouldn't work - plus, he doesn't get how that is any different from allowing his bar to open with limited capacity as is.

"You got restaurants that are staying open 'til 2 am and booking DJs and having bands - you tell me how is that safe?" he asked. "I'd be happy with 25% [capacity]."

But for bars turning into restaurants, reopening doesn't necessarily mean profit.

David Amrollah, the Operations Director for Burnhouse Nightclub, said they are planning to reopen as a restaurant in the coming weeks, but will be scraping by for a long time.

"Our projections are still to lose money pretty much every month," he said. "I would say minimum - at least two years - with the losses that we've had over the last 6 months, just to start breaking even and that's if we do well."

It's an uncertain future Koym feels will have a significant ripple effect on the economy. All he asks is for city and state leaders to do something.

"Give us an option," he said. "It's like if you have plants on your porch and you don't water them, they're going to die."

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