BOWLING GREEN, Ohio —
The City of Bowling Green's Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area, best known as DORA, went into effect Thursday.
BG city leaders said in a statement that the DORA will complement the massive street improvements in the downtown area and will enhance the public’s experience at local businesses and special events.
“I am excited about the possibility of the DORA program creating more foot traffic within the downtown businesses and the added benefit of allowing bars and restaurants to continue to serve customers while enabling social distancing,” said BG mayor Mike Aspacher.
The city says that safety and cleanliness are priorities of the Bowling Green DORA proposal.
There are six bars/restaurants within BG’s DORA that are allowed to sell to-go alcoholic beverages in designated marked cups. The beverages sold must be consumed within the DORA district.
Below is a list of the restaurants and bars within the district:
- Bar 149
- City Tap & The Attic
- Doc’s Big City Saloon
- SamB's Restaurant
- The Clay Pot (formally Naslada Bistro)
The city says that more businesses are expected to join.
“Establishing a DORA in downtown Bowling Green enables us to build on our efforts to create a Think Local atmosphere which invites a shop, dine and explore environment,” Tony Vetter, Director of Downtown Bowling Green S.I.D. said.
Vetter also added that the DORA lends itself to social distancing.
"We're basically creating a safe way for people to interact again and go into bars and restaurants and other stores," he said, "but actually have a DORA cup and be able to walk down Main Street like that. A lot of the bars and restaurants have seating inside and outside and a place where it's a little more expansive so people can practice social distancing."
A manager at Eden's Fashion Boutique within the DORA boundaries believes the program will increase shopping traffic.
"It's a time for them to get together, to just be downtown," manager Veronica Mierzejewski said. "And that's what we really want for our community, just a reason to be down here hanging out and patronizing all of our businesses."
Annually, the DORA will be in effect from the Friday prior to Memorial Day weekend until the end of the day on the Monday of Labor Day Weekend.
The following hours will be in effect each week: Monday - Thursday: 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Friday - Sunday: 11:00am – 10:00 pm. Last sales will not occur no later than 9:30 p.m. and all cups must be disposed of by 10:00 p.m.
You can find more information about the new DORA here.
