Blue Collar Tavern on Defying Wolf’s Order: ‘We Cannot Survive on Carry-Out Alone’

| December 19, 2020

EMLENTON, Pa. (EYT) – The Blue Collar Tavern is part of a growing resistance to the latest mitigation order from Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and Owner Betty Davidson-Caudill says the Emlenton tavern has no plans to back down.

“I have a business that has to pay bills,” wrote Betty on the Tavern’s Facebook page. “I also have employees that need their paychecks. We cannot survive on carry-out alone. Thanks, and we are sorry if our decision has offended anyone. That is not our intention.”

The current order is to remain in effect until 8:00 a.m. on January 4, 2021.

The new mitigation orders include:

– All in-person indoor dining at businesses in the retail food services industry, including, but not limited to, bars, restaurants, breweries, wineries, distilleries, social clubs, and private catered events is prohibited.

– Outdoor dining, take-out food service, and take-out alcohol sales are permitted and may continue, subject to any limitations or restrictions imposed by Pennsylvania law, or this or any other Order issued by the Sec. of Health or by the Governor.

ExploreClarion.com called Betty about her decision to ignore the orders. She joins other business owners in a region responding in the same way, while others are following the restrictions.

“Back in March when he (Gov. Wolf) basically shut us down, it was going to be for two weeks, and it ended up being 11 weeks,” Betty said. “The day that he shut us down was my 16th month anniversary of owning this business. Knowing that I’m brand-new, we did what he asked us to do to keep our employees working as much as we could. So, I stayed open for carryout only and went in the hole every day.”

Betty said that she and Brian Lander, co-owner, continued to put money into the account to cover expenses like the utility bills. Betty and Brian have lived together for 23 years and reside in Mercer. She has over 20 years of experience in the restaurant business, and he is in charge of research and development at Bashlin Industries, where he’s been since he was 17 years old. Brian is a native of Lucinda.

“It’s not that we weren’t doing a good business during the first shutdown,” continued Betty. “We were, but without the rest of the sales such as beer, liquor, and soda sales – it wasn’t enough to pay the bills. When we were allowed to go to 50 percent at the end of May, I could see where we could make it after a couple of weeks.

“Then in July, when he slapped us back down to 25 percent and took our bar seating away, it really hurt. At that time, we started the patio, and we put a ton of money into the patio and a lot more tables and more chairs.”

When the couple first purchased Mike’s Tavern in 2019 (better known as Mike’s Laugh Inn), they knew that work was needed to improve it.

“I knew for a while that this place was available, and Brian and I decided to look at it. After we took a look, Brian asked me what I thought. I said: ‘absolutely not. It needs way too much work.’ However, Brian is a guy who likes to take things, repair them, and bring them back to life, whether it’s a house, a car, a boat, or a trailer. He said to me if we don’t buy this, that little country bar will go down because nobody else will do it. So that’s how we ended up with it.”

The tavern was purchased, and in addition to the purchase, the couple put $50,000.00 in for updates.

“As soon as we opened, I looked at Brian and said: ‘Okay, this is the deal, no more updates unless the bar pays for it.’

“During the first year, we continued to update because the bar was able to pay for it. Now, I’ve just drawn the line, and I refuse to put any more of the money I’ve worked my whole life because this came out of our retirement fund. I’m not going to take any more out of our savings to keep this bar afloat.”

One of Betty’s fears when purchasing the tavern was the community’s possible reception because they lived in Mercer. However, she has been pleased with her customer base end. It has been supportive since the purchase.

“I have employees that never collected a dime from unemployment. During those four weeks that I was shut down, I helped one of my employees pay bills. So, now they’re in debt to me. They can’t afford to be off for three weeks without any income. My girls, five waitresses/bartenders on staff, basically work for tips, and if I would lay them off right now, they can’t survive. I have single moms who work for me, and I have young ladies who work for me, living independently. They’re not in their mom and dad’s house. They’re paying their own bills.”

After a suspension during a previous shutdown, Betty got a lawyer, Eric Winter, with the Prince Law Firm in Harrisburg.

“I found out that the whole thing was illegal. He’s also going to court for a Tunnelton Inn suspension notice. I was not given a right to appeal my suspension,” Betty explained.

“I can’t afford to shut my doors again for three weeks because I will not have the money to pay my bills. You know, I still have to pay my taxes. I still have to pay my insurance, and I still have to pay all my electric bill, my gas bill, my water bill, and my sewage bill. I had to pay for all of that. It doesn’t stop just because he decides that we should shut down again. It’s already been proven to me over those 11 weeks that I can’t do it. I refuse to put any more of our money into this bar.”

Betty admits that the Blue Collar Tavern is more of a restaurant than a bar, but it is a place the community can enjoy.

“Basically, I’m protecting my First and Fourteenth Amendments, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Betty and her employees will get a much-needed break from the chaos when the tavern closes on December 20 for the holiday. It will reopen on December 30.


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