OWENSBORO, Ky. — After a tumultuous year of losses brought on by the pandemic, things are finally starting to look up for Moonlite Bar-B-Q.
The popular restaurant and tourist destination in Owensboro lost millions because of COVID-19-related restrictions and shutdowns.
Co-owner Patrick Bosley said business has been improving slowly since the first of the year, something he attributes to COVID-19 vaccination efforts. He believes the increasing availability of a vaccine is increasing consumer confidence.
“The coronavirus is not gone. The problems are real – they’re still here. But the confidence is increasing and, you know, that’s good for business,” Bosley said. “The customers, I think, really have a belief that we’re turning the corner with coronavirus […] I think people are just ready to move on and find the new normal, and so I see business picking up. It’s generally a positive feeling outside when we talk to our customers.”
Bosley speaks with more confidence now than he did at the end of 2020. Spectrum News 1 last talked with Bosley in December, during a temporary state-mandated ban on all in-person dining. At the time, Bosley said Moonlite would survive the pandemic, but the uncertainty of future losses weighed heavily on him.
Moonlite employs more than 100 workers, many of whom have been there for years. Bosley had to lay off around 30 employees during the pandemic — something he never thought he’d have to do at Moonlite, a business rooted in family and tradition.
“I think the challenge for employees now is a lot of them are working right now but they’re not working the number of hours they were working before. So that’s going to be a challenge for all businesses going forward,” said Bosley.
Moonlite Bar-B-Q has been in the Bosley family since 1963. What started as a 30-seat roadside diner is now a 350-seat restaurant destination — complete with carry-out service, a successful catering company, and a wholesale division. The pandemic nearly brought the booming business to a screeching halt.
While the local dining business is slowly recovering, the business’ other components are still struggling. Tourism, which accounts for half of Moonlite’s business, is largely inexistent. Bosley doesn’t expect that part of his business to recover until conventions, large events, and big sporting tournaments return to Owensboro.
“You’re not seeing the tourism. You’re not seeing the catering. You’re not seeing the family get-togethers and parties – all that’s still missing,” Bosley explained. “But as far as recovery, I think there’s confidence in the local consumer to eat out at local restaurants – that is rebounding and I think some of that is they want to support local restaurants, and they’re going to where they feel comfortable. They’re going where they feel the restaurants are following the rules and making them feel safe and giving them consumer confidence.”
The pandemic has brought swift and dramatic change to the service industry, forcing restaurants like Moonlite to make numerous changes. The most noticeable change at Moonlite turned their famous self-serve buffet into a buffet manned by masked and gloved attendants who make custom plates for customers. The restaurant also started offering third-party delivery, something they’d never done in the past. Bosley doesn’t think the restaurant industry will ever be what it was before the pandemic.
“I don’t see any vision or any outcome post-coronavirus vaccine distribution where everything is the way it was. I think dining out has definitely evolved and businesses are going to have to find a way to be relevant,” Bosley said.
As businesses like Moonlite continue to navigate the many challenges and uncertainties of operating through a pandemic, Bosley encourages people to keep supporting local shops and restaurants. He suggested people purchase gift cards from their favorite local businesses or dine out on a “slow” night, typically Monday through Wednesday in the restaurant industry, when crowds are low.
Kentucky restaurants are now able to operate at 60% capacity, as long as social distancing and all other COVID-19 safety procedures are followed.