ST. LOUIS — The operator of Wheelhouse, The Midwestern and Start Bar in downtown St. Louis announced Friday night the bars would be temporarily closing.
The operator posted the message on Instagram.
"We don’t have to close, we don’t want to close but it’s the decision we’ve made in the best interest of our staff, customers and businesses. We will reopen when we think the time is right, hopefully sooner than later, in a couple of weeks for some Blues Playoffs and Cardinals Baseball. Until then, THANK YOU and We Love You STL," Wheelhouse wrote.
The operator said the closing is only temporary, and they hope to be back open for business in a few weeks.
"We can’t ensure the safety of our staff and customers right now which means we can’t succeed right now. We can’t enjoyably operate in the current environment," the bar's Instagram post said.
The Midwestern reopened for customers on May 21, with Wheelhouse and Start Bar following the next day.
Bars and restaurants around St. Louis have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many being forced to close.