Modern Times Gradual Re-Opening Begins

OUR SAN DIEGO & SANTA BARBARA SPOTS REOPEN ON MONDAY

…with some very important, state-mandated rules. Please make sure you read all of them, and please attend responsibly.

It’s honestly hard to believe we get to write this, but as of this Monday in San Diego and Santa Barbara, we’ll be able to re-open four of our locations! While we are beyond excited to be slowly returning to normal, we are also cognizant of the fact that the current pandemic is still far from over, so we need to balance our (and your) excitement with a healthy dose of caution, information, and tempered expectations regarding what comes next. Let’s get into it, shall we?
Starting 6/1, our Point Loma, North Park, Encinitas, and Santa Barbara locations will reopen for dining in, draft beer, coffee, and to-go sales. Here are the important, state-mandated rules that you need to know if you want to come hang out (and we sincerely hope you do):

1. Social distancing, please and thank you. You and your group must be six feet apart from other groups. Group size is limited to six people.
   

2. You must order a meal to enjoy alongside your beverages. These are the state rules, for now.
   

3. Guests must find a seat onsite. The state is not allowing guests to stand. If you’re not in a seat, you must have your mask on. That goes for ordering, bathroom runs, and milling about. Again, them’s the rules, and they are non-negotiable.

In addition to these state rules, we’ve adopted a whole host of best practices for our people, including temperature checks, PPE, and—of course—obsessive hand washing. We’ve re-arranged our physical settings, will temporarily move to a cashless environment to mitigate any unintentional transmission through currency, and will encourage guests to use digital menus to minimize touches while you’re a guest with us. We’ve also created 11 pages of internal guidance on safety and best practices for our staff.
We’re positively thrilled to see all of you, but we need you to know that we’re taking this very seriously, for the safety of both our patrons and our employee-owners. If you do not feel comfortable with the new setup or rules, please continue to enjoy our beer & coffee from the comfort of home. Also, if you just don’t feel ready to be out in public yet, we absolutely support that decision.
For more insight on how we arrived at the decision to reopen, as well as our reopening policies, you can check out this blog post from our President & COO, Chris Sarette.

Before you head out, you’ll be able to check out all of the current food & beverage offerings for each spot via the “locations” section of moderntimesbeer.com. Here are the hours for Monday’s reopenings:

Lomaland Fermentorium & North Park Flavordome:
Mon-Sun: 12pm-10pm
Lomaland Cafe:
Mon-Fri: 12pm-6pm
Encinitas Far West Lounge:
Mon-Sun: 11am-10pm
Santa Barbara Academy of Recreational Science:
(Please use alley entrance next to the Drunken Crab)
Sun-Thurs: 12pm-8pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm-10pm

While we know this is still far from our previous definition of normal, we can’t tell you how stoked we are to finally be able to see you all again, even from a distance. This has been one of the strangest and most challenging situations imaginable, and we are incredibly humbled by how gracious, flexible, and supportive you’ve all been thus far. There’s light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s raise a glass to it, and get there safely and responsibly.