MANCHESTER — Bonfire Restaurant and Country Bar on Elm Street is the latest eatery to temporarily close as COVID-19 cases continue to spike.
The restaurant announced Saturday it will temporarily close and reopen in February.
“It’s a break, not a break up,” a sign on the door and a note on its Facebook page reads.
Owner Tanner Herget said January is “extremely slow historically” in Manchester and many companies have yet to have workers return to nearby offices. The restaurant employs about 20, but pre-pandemic it was double, he said.
“The next round of PPP will be amazingly helpful and the Main Street and Main Street 2.0 programs have been amazing. Thank you to the governor for doing those. They were much better than what Maine offered to our sister store in Portland,” he wrote.
The company also reduced the hours of its Portland, Maine, location to Friday and Saturday, 4-9 p.m. for the next two months.
He said the decision in part was also made to help keep the community safe as confirmed cases are at an all-time high.
Other restaurants across the state have made the decision to temporarily close for varying lengths of time, including the City Room Cafe in Nashua and Blue Moon Evolution in Exeter. Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe in Portsmouth decided to close its doors for the winter season on Dec. 12.
The extension of the Paycheck Protection Program is part of a $900 billion coronavirus relief and stimulus package signed by President Donald Trump last month. Restaurants will be allowed to seek forgivable loans based on 3.5 times monthly payroll costs, according to the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association
Unlike other restaurants, Bonfire doesn’t offer takeout. It opened in 2017 with the goal of drawing people to downtown.
“We strive on a fun and energetic atmosphere that contributes to our in-person atmosphere where kids and adults can have fun for an afternoon or evening out,” Herget said.
