TOLEDO, Ohio — A 10 p.m. last call for alcohol caused quite a stir when Gov. DeWine signed it into place. The move was in hopes of curbing overcrowded bars during the pandemic.
Now, DeWine has said his administration is currently taking another look at the 10 p.m. deadline for alcohol sales.
Local bar managers say that the time limit is hurting their bottom line, during a time when business is already rough.
"Between 9 and 2 a.m. was really a time that's most busy for us. So we're anxious to get that back, if possible," co-owner of Bar 145 Brandon Saba said.
Saba says his employees at Bar 145 have been managing the limited bar hours, but the past six months have been a roller coaster adjusting to regulation after regulation.
"It's time to be fair to these businesses that have paid taxes and worked so hard to stay open and keep something nice for Toledo and the surrounding area," Saba said.
Just a few minutes away at Pat and Dandy's, sports season is getting into full swing... But, they're missing some of it.
"When you've got Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night football, you've got to stop serving alcohol at 10 p.m. A lot of people aren't coming out because they don't want to leave at halftime or before halftime," Pat and Dandy's Manager Robin Delamott said.
Pat and Dandy's still hasn't been able to bring their full staff back since closing due to the coronavirus and Delamott is worried they might be missing some peak season Big Ten football.
"We definitely get a lot of football, a lot of the Big Ten. We being a mile from Michigan, we get a lot of Michigan and Ohio State fans," Delamott said.
Overall, both Delamott and Saba say it would be great to be able to have expanded hours... especially with the weather getting cold and further limiting outdoor customers.
"It is going to be a little bit of a challenge, but the extended hours will give people more time to come in though. So that will definitely benefit us," Delamott said.