CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Businesses in Charlotte will be forced to ring in the new year a few hours early following Governor Cooper’s modified stay-at-home order.
The Executive Order calls for restaurants and similar establishments to close their doors for in-person dining between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. On-site alcohol consumption ends at 9 p.m.
This order runs from Dec. 11 through Jan. 8, meaning New Year’s Eve plans will be cut short before midnight.
Chef Rocco Whalen, the owner of Fahrenheit, said the rooftop restaurant 21 floors up had already started buying cases of champagne and supplies to prepare for its usual New Year’s Eve celebration.
Governor Cooper’s announcement Tuesday is causing the restaurant to cut the party off early.
"Hospitality is getting brutalized by this whole scenario, and I'm not sure why when we are the most religious when it comes to listening to the rules and mandates,” Whalen said. “I know there's bad apples out there, but not all of us are bad apples."
Whalen said the restaurant has pivoted and made changes to comply with safety regulations each time new restrictions have come out. He’s said he’s not sure what to do next.
"I'd ask the governor what's the difference between coming to my restaurant with a mask and all your PPE on, or going to a house party that says there are no rules,” Whalen said.
New Year’s Eve would typically be the biggest moneymaking night of the year for Fahrenheit staff, Whalen said. He had to break the news to his staff, including many single parents, that New Year’s Eve plans won’t be the same this year.
"I don't know where to turn next. I have to listen to the governor because it's law,” Whalen said. “There's a lot of places that don't know which way to pivot or which direction to go in and from a financial standpoint, it's just survival of the fittest."
Whalen said New Year’s Eve will be a little darker this year due to the restrictions. He said he understands that the pandemic is a problem and hopes everyone does their part to overcome it to get back to business as usual.
“January 8 is definitely marked on my calendar now,” Whalen said. “I’m hopeful to see it come and the numbers go down.”
Middle C Jazz is facing the same restrictions. It already had shows planned for New Year’s Eve that have now been shifted earlier to 5:45 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. with Covid-19 safety guidelines in place.
"It’s [New Year’s Eve] a moneymaker for clubs, especially in a year where we've faced pandemics and the loss of the RNC in Charlotte and all those things that have been economic, you know, gut-wrenching punches to the stomach,” Farber said. “So, we were hoping that New Year's would be big."
The jazz club opened in late 2019. It was Farber’s dream to run a jazz venue, but he never dreamed of the challenges it would face in its first year in business.
"I've looked at it and gone what are the things we can do to stay afloat, but at the same time do it in a way that's compliant with what's going on from the governor's mandates,” Farber said.
Even with restrictions in place, Farber said it’s been important for him to keep the jazz club open this year for both customers and the musicians, many of whom haven’t had other opportunities to play this year.
"I think when you hear great music,” Farber said, “it just makes you forget about everything that's happening in our world from Covid to politics, no matter where you are.”
Farber said he understands the restrictions are in place to protect their employees, band, and customers, so the venue will get a jump start on 2021 by ringing in the new year a couple of hours early.
"We're not going to give up,” said Farber. “We're going to, going to pretend like it's midnight twice that night, and we're going to adjust the times."
Charlotte Center City Partners is not holding its annual CLT NYE celebration in Uptown this year. A spokesperson said the decision was made before the governor’s news conference Tuesday due to restrictions on mass gathering and public health guidance.
Charlotte Center City Partners is encouraging people who traditionally celebrate New Year’s Eve in Uptown to consider celebrating at home with take-out from an Uptown restaurant that could use the community’s support right now.