- [Narrator] The Arizona Inn has not closed its doors
since 1971 when the hotel first got air conditioning.
Until early March, 2020 when concerns over the Coronavirus
had reality shifting almost hourly.
On March 17, St. Patrick's Day, we went around Tucson
trying our best to social distance,
asking local businesses how they were adapting.
- My personal like mental state kind of changed
when, I think, just due to stress,
I was kind of feeling like a little bit weird last night
and it sort of hit me, I was like well what if I did have it
Why am I putting my employees at risk?
It just doesn't seem worth it anymore.
- [Narrator] Ben Schneider made the decision
to temporarily close Tallboys that day at 3:00 PM.
By the time we got to our next stop,
the reality of the situation had shifted again.
Tucson's mayor, Regina Romero, announced a mandatory closure
of all venues where groups of people congregate
starting that night at 8:00 PM.
- We've been anticipating shutting down,
and looking forward to it in a sense.
Having every place mandatorily shut down,
in hopes that we can limit the duration of the shut down.
- [Narrator] this ended up being the last day
you could get a drink at a bar or eat in a restaurant
for at least 40 days.
The realities and anxieties of suspending operations
were different for every business.
- We just moved to this new spot, like two months ago.
I mean I used every ounce of energy
and resource I had to do that.
It's been going so well. It was like complete 180 of energy.
- [Narrator] closing down a large music venue
like the Rialto Theatre is actually quite complicated.
- When we have lots of shows,
we'll have as many as just over a hundred people
that will take a paycheck.
The highest percentage of people that work here
work here part time and all have other employment
but that other employment is being disrupted as well.
I'm concerned about them.
You can't just open your doors the next day
and have touring artists there.
Generally the absolute minimum amount of time
for that is two months.
Just a tremendous amount of uncertainty
which means a much lower likelihood
that robust touring will resume any time soon.
- I think everyone's really concerned
and confused about what to do.
What's the best way to be an employer at this point.
Laying people off, letting them collect unemployment
until we can open again.
I am trying to save enough money
to reopen when that time comes.
But, it is Tucson and we're gonna reopen
in the dead of summer which is pretty scary.
- Well our biggest fears are paying our bills
and making sure our employees can pay their bills.
We've been looking at alternatives
like, you know, having liquor pickup or liquor delivery.
We're gonna take care of our employees the best we can.
- This is a big part of health,
and like mental health and happiness for people.
Staying connected seems very important.
People right away were like "will you do online?"
It's not something we've done ever before
so I've just been slamming trying to educate myself
on how to, you know, easily and accessibly do that.
- We'll do it live!
All right.
- Good morning, Facebook. Happy Tuesday.
- [Narrator] Floor Polish was not alone.
The streets emptied around Tucson.
Social distancing did not actually keep us apart.
(guitar music)
People found new ways to communicate, innovate,
and occupy their time online. (violin music)
and um, it was something.
- Oh my god its like a foot long Sonoran hot dog
in chalupa form.
I'm gonna show you that.
- So I am Hanna Klein. I have a daughter, Lola, she's eight.
Her seeing me freaked out about something
is probably my biggest fear.
("Say So" by Doja Cat)
Funny thing about Tik Tok was she's been talking
about it for a year.
(Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson)
- I was like I'm too old for Tik Tok.
I can't deal with this.
It's been so fun.
It's her getting exercise and her getting really creative.
(luau music)
- Weird enough, this whole quarantine
has brought us like so much closer together.
- We are Los Discos
- Together, combined, we are Los Discos (laughs).
- We are currently in quarantine.
- Together
- Together, yeah, luckily (laughing)
- We got laid off Tuesday and then the Wednesday after
were like well its time to get to it.
Right now we just started the process of making masks
for people in our community.
We just got our first batch out.
I think we delivered probably around like 50 masks
(mumbles) yeah.
The response from the community has been amazing.
- We have created a detailed survey
for musicians to basically apply for assistance.
- People have reported over 90 thousand dollars
in lost wages due to COVID-19 related cancellations.
I launched, with the help of Katie Haverly and Hannah Levin
a Tucson musicians relief fund on Go Fund Me.
I'm gonna talk to my friends Birds and Arrows
and we're gonna get them goin on their first set of music.
We've been doing a partnership with Startup Tucson this week
to give daily live (Acoustic guitar)
Performances at noon.
- Hello survivors, welcome to the very first
of hopefully very few quarantini cocktail videos.
I am the bar manager of Portal Cocktail
we opened, made it three and a half weeks,
and then the quarantine hit.
- It's just takin lemons and making lemonade,
or margaritas, or whatever.
- If ya live through this virus, we'll see ya next week
for another cocktail.
- [Narrator] It's been amazing watching
all the creative energy online
but there's still something a little bit sad,
and definitely surreal about being inside this time of year
especially when it's so nice out.
(dramatic music)
I know we'll get through this, but I do miss everybody.
Hope we see ya soon.