First night of outside dining in Hollister brings excitement, challenges

It’s the first time in months some restaurants have been able to reopen.

And for others, restaurant owners say they’ve struggled to bring back labor in preparation of reopening.

EXCITED FOR THEECONOMY TO SLOWLYOPEN BACK UP..IT'S BEEN A STRUGGLEFOR SOME BUSIENSSOWNERS.AND SAN BENITOCOUNTY NOW HAS IT'SMOST ACTIVE CASESSINCE THE PANDEMICSTARTED...ACTION NEWS 8REPORTER CHRISTOPHERSALAS IS LIVE INHOLLISTER NOW..WITHSOME OF THECHALLENGESRESTAURANT OWNERSARE FACING.##OF COURSE THIS IS ALLDESIGNED TO GIVERESTAURANTS MORESPACE ANDCUSTOMERS...AS THEY HAVE TO DEALWITH SOCIAL DISTANCINGREGULATIONS..BUT SEVERAL BUSINESSOWNERS SAY THEY CAN'TGET EMPLOYEES BACK TOWORK.A DIFFERENT KIND OFRUSH HOUR TRAFFICFILLING SAN BENITOSTREET..LIVE MUSIC REPLACINGTHE SOUND OF MOTORENGINES..AND PEOPLE WAITINGFOR FOOD AND DRINKSRATHER THAN TRAFFICLIGHTS...FOR JACK BARBIERI..

ITALLOWS HIM TO OPEN HISDOORS FOR THE FIRSTTIME IN MONTHS..16:57 "WE MAKE MOST OFOUR MONEY AT NIGHT, LIVEMUSIC WHICH WE OBVIOUSLYCAN'T DO ANYMORE.

SO THISKIND OF MAKES UP FOR IT.LITTLE EXTRA SEATING.IT'S GREAT." BUT FOR PHILHERNANDIZ IT BRINGSNEW CHALLENGES..

ANDCONCERNS..20:27 "THAT'S MY CONCERNTHAT IT'S GOING TO COMEBACK WORSE." SINCE LASTFRIDAY..WHEN THE COUNTYMOVED FURTHER INTOSTAGE 2 OF REOPENING..THERE HAVE BEEN 9MORE COVID-19 CASES..THE MOST IN THAT TIMEPERIOD SINCE THEPANDEMIC STARTED.20:32WHEN YOU GET DOWNTO THE FALL TIME AND THEWEATHER'S NOT AS NCIE ANDPEOPLE ARE SUCSEPTIBLE TOTHE COLD AND THE FLU, IT'SGOING TO COME BACK.BUT DESPITEHERNANDIZ'S FEARS..HE AND HIS WIFEREOPENED FRIDAY NIGHT..2717 21:05 "THEY SET THEPLATFORM FOR US TO DOTHIS, SO WE SAID, WE CAN'TSAY NO." BUT NO IS WHATHE'S HEARD FROM HISFORMER EMPLOYEES...AS HE'S ASKING THEM TOCOME BACK TO WORK.2717 21:34 "THEY'REGETTING AN ADDITIONALBONUS ON TOP OF WHATTHEY SHOULD BE MAKING.SO THEY'RE AT HOMEMAKING MORE THAN WHATTHEY WOULD BE WORKING.SO THERE'S NO INCENTIVE TOCOME BACK TO WORK."07:41 "THE INTERESTINGPART ABOUT TRYING TOORGANIZE THIS WAS GIVINGTHEM TIME TO FIND THELABOR TO REOPEN." MAYORIGNACIO VELAZQUEZ SAIDTHE HOLLISTER OPEN AIRMARKET WILL EXPANDWITH BUSINESSES..AS THE LABOR SLOWLYRETURNS.AND AS CONSUMERS GAINCONFIDENCE.07:19 "WE NEED TO KEEPTAKING PRECAUTIONS, BESAFE, WEAR OUR FACECOVERS WHERE EVER WE GOSO WE MAKE SURE THISVIRUS DOESN'T SPREAD ANDWE CAN KEEP DOING THEGOOD THINGS THAT WE'REDOING."AS FOR THE INCREASE INCOVID-19 CASES AND THETIMING OF IT..MAYOR VELAZQUEZ SAIDIT DIRECTLY COINCIDESWITH MOTHER'S DAY ANDMOTHER'S DAYGATHERINGS..PUBLIC INFORMATIONOFFICER DAVID WESTRICKSAID THE INCREASE WASEXPECTED..

AS THEY'RENOW TESTING MOREPEOPLE.NEW AT 11...PEBBLEBEACH IS HOPIN