TODD FRANSON / FILE PHOTO
Return to Service
Pitchers
LGBTQ-friendly bars and restaurants have adapted to cope with the pandemic, and are all eager to get back to a “new normal.”
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By John Riley
VER SINCE D.C. ENTERED LOCKDOWN, CLOSING all nightclubs and restaurants except for takeout and delivery, David Perruzza has used the opportunity to spruce up the interior of his building, which houses both the gay sports bar Pitchers and its lesbian companion, A League of Her Own. “We used this time to repaint probably 85 percent of the bar,” says Perruzza. “We ripped apart every bar and cleaned it from top to bottom. Often you don’t get time to do that. We’ve changed some colors in some areas, and I redid a lot of the floors.” At first, Pitchers and ALOHO remained closed, even though the bar has a restaurant license and could have remained open for takeout over the past few months. But Perruzza decided that the drastic decline in sales he’d experience wasn’t worth it. “Honest to God, I think our food’s good, but I didn’t think people were going to come all the way over to Adams Morgan just to get chicken tenders and fried food,” he says. “The cost wasn’t sustainable for me to open, because the minute you open, your landlords think you’re making money, but you won’t make enough to pay your rent and stuff.” Pitchers recently announced a partnership with Grassfed
Griddle, which would typically sell its “farm-fresh” produce at farmer’s markets, but was looking for a business that could help showcase their wares. Under the arrangement, Pitchers/ ALOHO will be open and selling food from 5 to 10 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. “Their sales are so low because of social distancing and everything that they needed a kitchen for prep,” says Perruzza. “I was like, ‘Why don’t we do this until we open? And, if it works out, we might partner with them for good.’ Their food is delicious, and if I’m going to open and serve food, I want my customers to have a good experience and give them something that they can't get other places.” The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many local establishments to get creative and adopt new business models centered around takeout service. Trade and Number Nine, for instance, have opened themselves up for carryout four days a week, offering cocktails and mixed drinks that customers can take home in a 32 oz. container. And, because of licensing laws, both establishments are offering food along with the beverages. “At Number Nine, we’re offering popcorn because we make it on site,” says Ed Bailey, one of the sister bars’ co-owners. MAY 28, 2020 • METROWEEKLY.COM
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