By Kyle Erway
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Route 24 Ale House is a popular restaurant in Bel Air that embraced a “take-out-only model” as owner Jason Davis struggled to stay in business during the months-long COVID-19 pandemic.
Davis, who has owned the Harford County business 13 years, said the end of the crisis may be near with the increase in vaccinations and decrease in coronavirus cases.
“I’m very optimistic it’s going to get back to normal,” Davis said, cautiously. “It all depends on the people. If people can do their social distancing, masking, and washing the hands, I think the COVID guidelines are going to go away here shortly.”
Davis also acknowledged that a lot of people still are hesitant about indoor dining. But he stressed that the vaccinations, warmer weather and outdoor dining should enable his restaurant to return to 100 % capacity “within the next six months.”
Route 24 Ale House, established in 2008 and famous for its comfortable atmosphere, friendly staff and dangerously good hot wings and other specials prepared with fresh ingredients, joined many small businesses across Maryland and the country in requesting federal and state financial aid to help stay afloat during the worst part of the pandemic. Davis said he was forced to temporarily shut down and rethink his business model; He reopened with a “take-out-only model” and some outside financial assistance.
Multiple state and county grants “have been very helpful to us,” Davis said, adding that the restaurant and bar also received extra shipments of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
“There’s a lot of assistance out there that people don’t know about, but you have to research for it,” Davis said.
Davis explained that local government officials did not want to see Rt. 24 shutdown and were very willing to assist small business owners in finding government grants.
“A lot of it, you have to go seek out,” he added.
Maryland’s governor continues to offer assistance to small businesses. On Dec. 10, Gov. Larry Hogan issued an executive order to prevent small businesses from facing major increases in their unemployment taxes. And in early February, Hogan signed into law a RELIEF ACT that provides some sales tax credits to small businesses and other assistance designed to allow businesses to have better cash flow to keep their doors open. He predicted more than 55,000 businesses would be eligible.
Along with paying the wages of his staff, Davis said he also used his grant money to invest in a tent designed for safe outdoor dining, extra hand sanitizers and extra staff to wipe down tables on a busy Friday night.
“Anything and everything that would help us keep on going on a daily basis,” Davis said about the grant money.
Davis pointed to the change in business model and government assistance as examples of his successful struggles to remain open during a global health pandemic that has forced a lot of other small businesses to fall by the wayside and shut down, permanently.
Loyal customers are another reason Davis said he has been able to stay open. He credited Route 24’s loyal customer base with supporting the restaurant through the darkest days of the pandemic by ordering take-out every weekend as well as word-of-mouth advertising.
“For the year of 2020, [sales] were only down 10% and that was just because of our strong customer base and plus we serve a really good product in terms of the food, beverages, and service,” he said.
As difficult and challenging as it has been for Route 24, Davis said, “It hasn’t been as much of a struggle as it has been for other places. For us, it was just another change. You know, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do or you’re not going to be here anymore.”
Stephanie Harmsen, a bartender/server who has worked at Route 24 since October, said that the pandemic and COVID-19 restrictions have limited how many customers can come in at one time effectively restricting how much money bartenders can earn.
Harmsen also admitted that having to wear a mask while working isn’t her favorite. However, she said that she enjoys working at a small, family-oriented restaurant such as Route 24 and all the customers she encounters have been mindful and respectful of COVID rules.
Longtime customer Claudine Gardner remembers when Route 24 first opened as a pool hall, but got rid of the billiards tables years ago to make room for more seating to create more of a friendly, family-oriented atmosphere. Gardner added that these days Route 24’s atmosphere is “great,” and that it’s “the type of place where everyone knows everyone.”