Some Sacramento bars are closing, this time voluntarily, as coronavirus worry spreads
Two nightclubs are shutting down just a week after reopening, citing concerns over a patron who tested positive for the coronavirus, as other midtown Sacramento bars are closing their doors amid a surge in reported cases statewide.
Badlands and The Depot, well-known in Lavender Heights as institutions popular with the LGBTQ community, will be closing for at least a week in order to deep clean after a customer who visited one of the bars confirmed that they had acquired the highly contagious virus.
The two nightclubs, which are under the same management, released a statement Friday, saying that the customer with COVID-19 showed up on their first day back in business after weeks of closure predicated by government orders put in place at the onset of the pandemic.
Badlands and The Depot reopened on June 19, shortly after California Gov. Gavin Newsom cleared bars and clubs to reopen, with special procedures to keep staff and customers safe, including reduced occupancy, mandatory face masks and a ban on dancing.
Three days after reopening, the customer received a positive coronavirus test, prompting club management to urge others to take tests as well.
“We have no reason to believe that any of our staff or our guests have been infected, since we were informed by our patron that they wore a mask and had little interaction outside of their pod. This is a precautionary decision we have taken upon ourselves to ensure the safety and health of our community,” management said in a statement. “We feel it is necessary to close in order to do a detailed cleaning of our businesses and have our staff tested.”
Earlier this week, midtown bar and grill Zebra Club shut down under similar circumstances. There, a temporary closure for cleaning and staff tests occurred after a customer tested positive for coronavirus.
The outbreak at Zebra Club has other midtown watering holes eyeing a possible outbreak as well. Old Tavern Bar and Grill decided to voluntarily close its doors despite not having any customers test positive amid a rash of infections in Sacramento County.
An Old Tavern bartender said that the closure was a precautionary measure, taken to protect staff and guests — many of whom also patronize Zebra Club as well.
Fears over the outbreak at Zebra Club prompted the bar to close, despite taking measures to reduce the likelihood of spreading the virus at Old Tavern.
“Due to a neighborhood spike in the COVID-19 virus we will be closed temporarily to insure the safety of our customers, employees, and families,” a sign posted to the doors of the bar read. “Thank you for understanding.”
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This story was originally published June 27, 2020 at 10:09 AM.
