CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The owners of Brewster Street Ice House and Concrete Street are determined for their customers to stay safe during the pandemic.
"Since the COVID hit I haven't been able to attend any outdoor activities," said Richard Godoy, a customer at Brewster Street Ice House, enjoying an acoustic concert for the first time in months.
Godoy is not the only one that has kept themselves away from these kind of activities. For the past eight months, the COVID-19 pandemic kept many people away and stuck in their homes.
"We just wanted to try something family friendly and fun since we've been stuck at home for so long," said mom Kaitlin Byerly.
Since Concrete Street and Brewster Street Ice House are owned by the same company, both businesses felt the effects when the pandemic hit.
"Oh it's been horrible, like hitting a brick wall," said General Manager Mark Schaberg.
Hoping to find ways to get people to enjoy their time outside with their friends and family seemed difficult.
But like many businesses, Schaberg's group learned to adapt.
You can still enjoy a fun concert at Brewster Street Ice House, but it has a more laid-back atmosphere with acoustic bands playing all night.
Brewster Street's normal capacity is 1,000. But during its seated shows, capacity now is 250.
People must stay seated in their assigned tables and a waiter will take care of food and drinks. Masks must be worn when walking to the bathroom and around the venue.
With Concrete Street being a large music venue, owners had to change their business model completely just to get people to come.
"Trying to keep people employed and trying to create quality of life, events for Corpus," Schaberg said. "We decided to do the drive-in movie concept. We can fit 100 cars into the amphitheater floor."
Right now, Concrete Street is holding between three to four movies a week.
You stay in your car from the minute you drive in to when you leave. Once again, waiters will bring drinks and food to your car.
As restrictions begin to relax a bit more, Concrete Street is hoping to bring back music to their venue, starting with seated shows.
Their first show will be Oct. 30, a seated-socially distanced show where tickets must be bought by the table.
