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Patios open early, restaurants prepare for increased business after COVID slump

The Bartender's Handshake has welcomed guests on their patio throughout the winter. In anticipation of more guests in warmer weather, they're starting indoor dining.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Now that weather's started to get warmer, businesses will be able to welcome customers who haven't yet felt comfortable gathering indoors, due to COVID-19.

The Bartender's Handshake, a bar on Ingersoll in Des Moines, has kept their patio open throughout the winter. Now, they're anticipating more guests to come to their patio area, and they're also starting to welcome people indoors.

"We have really been kind of following our own restrictions that have been more stringent than the state's restrictions," said Dave Murrin-Von Ebbers, owner. "[Our decision to open indoor dining] was just a combination of numbers going down, vaccines going up, and having a set plan of how we want to do it to keep people safe."

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Murrin-Von Ebbers' establishment has only three tables inside, so he recommends reservations. The groups have to be four or smaller, and there's still no bar seating.

"We are playing it really safe, transitioning back to more normal while still taking things pretty seriously," he said.

RELATED: Iowa business owners respond to Gov. Reynolds' decision to lift mask mandate

Murrin Von-Ebbers adds they'll likely keep the patio seating all winter long even once COVID-19 is over.

"I think it just gives people more options," said Murrin Von-Ebbers. "I think moving forward, that'll become a permanent thing where it's just kind of a fun, different thing to have a drink around a fire outside."

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