Business

Territory's Food and Beverage Industry Reopens with Social Distancing and Capacity Limitations; Law Enforcement Visits Establishments

Pre-pandemic sounds of music, laughter and cash registers ringing are back again.  In Red Hook and elsewhere across the territory, the usual weeknight rattle and hum was toned down. But the key indicators of island commerce were clear. Virgin Islanders returned to favorite local spots — Duffy’s Love Shack, Island Time Pub, Tap and Still in St. Thomas and Sharkey's Bait Stand and Cloud 9 on St. Croix, to name a few  — Tuesday evening for the first time since the island economy went into lockdown to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus two months ago. At the outdoor bars and restaurants of American Yacht Harbor, Virgin Islanders eased into the next phase of life during COVID-19 with soft-opening of the territory’s food and beverage industry. Some people were hyper-cautious, wearing masks and socializing at a safe six feet or more away from strangers.  “It’s a fear,” said 37-year-old Megan McLoud, a server at a St. Thomas restaurant. “Not a crippling fear, but there are asymptomat...