spotlight By Laura Newpoff + Photo by rob hardin
Nonprofit
Steady in crisis How the Ohio Restaurant Association helped the industry stay afloat during COVID-19.
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or many people in central Ohio, the realization that life was about to change because of an emerging coronavirus pandemic set in at the beginning of March 2020. That’s when the Arnold Sports Festival—one of the state’s most prestigious events—canceled its convention and barred spectators from attending competitions. At the time, Gov. Mike DeWine said new guidance from the Centers for Disease
“I said one thing we’ve got to do, governor: Leave takeout, pickup window and delivery open. We were able to do that. That changed everything for the industry.” John Barker, CEO, Ohio Restaurant Association
Ohio Restaurant Association
100 E. Campus View Blvd., Suite 150 Columbus 43235 ohiorestaurant.org Mission: To serve members by advancing and
protecting Ohio’s restaurant, food service and hospitality industries.
CEO: John Barker Employees: 14 Revenue: Less than $5 million
John Barker Control on large public gatherings prompted the decision. That dramatic announcement prepared John Barker for a phone call that would come less than two weeks later. On Sunday morning, March 15, Gov. Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Gov. Jon Husted were on the line, and they wanted to speak with the Ohio Restaurant Association chief about slowing the spread of the disease. There would be about 10 such calls that day. Barker understood where the state leaders were coming from when they said they wanted to close places where large numbers of people could gather. But he felt compelled to point something out. Most of U.S. food spending goes through restaurants. To shut them down completely not only
would cause the industry enormous harm, it would put incredible strain on grocery stores to fill that void. “I said one thing we’ve got to do, governor: Leave takeout, pickup window and delivery open,” Barker recalls telling DeWine. “We were able to do that. That changed everything for the industry.” Later that day, DeWine announced the closure of all Ohio bars and restaurants to in-house patrons effective at 9 p.m. Restaurants were permitted to continue those other services, just as Barker suggested. That decision and a reopening in May saved an unknown number of restaurants that otherwise would have closed, Barker says. Since the beginning of the pandemic, he thinks about 20 percent of bars and restaurants have
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4/22/21 12:55 PM