SAN ANGELO, Texas — Bars were among the businesses affected by Gov. Greg Abbott's order and had to close at noon on Friday, June 26.
Some bar owners and service workers don’t agree with the decision and rallied at Stango's Coffee Shop, Saturday afternoon to show their discontent.
Attendees held signs that read, “We Have Families Too”, “We Want To Make A Living” or “Mr. Abbott What Do We do Now.”
Stango’s Coffee Shop owner, Steve Stangos, said he was there to show his support for business owners who are currently out of business for the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Icehouse owner, Susan Howell, was at the rally because she disagrees with the decision to close all bars. She said, “I am 100% out of work, I don’t have any other income. I depend on that bar to pay my bills. It pays the bills of several employees." Howell also said closing a bar with a 50% occupancy of 24 people will not solve the pandemic.
Another bar owner, Toni Hunter, owner of the House of FiFi DuBois, said that she was at the rally to support her constituents. Hunter said she thinks the bars should not be held accountable for what is going on in general.
Service workers such as Rebecca Thorpe also disagree with the order and were at the rally. Thorpe said as a service worker, she knows how the work week will be, which days will be busy and which days will be slow. The current situation has made business very slow which has affected the ability to buy groceries or provide for families.
Bar owners feel Gov. Abbott could have done things differently. Several bar owners feel that a three-hour notice was not enough.
For more information on the executive order visit, gov.texas.gov.
