Some Green Country Businesses Closing Permanently Due To Pandemic

Some Green Country businesses plan to permanently close because of the pandemic.

The owners of Bread and Butter said they were seeing a decline in business before the pandemic because of street construction in front of the restaurant, but when the pandemic hit things continued to decline.

"You know, the restaurant business is not easy and if you add something like street repair in the front of your building then add on a pandemic and people's concern for eating out, it's a recipe for disaster," said Rania Nasreddine.

Nasreddine said her family opened the restuarant in December of 2016 and they are thankful for the Tulsa community and their support during the pandemic.

"Trying to keep the staff healthy and keep our customers. So, we had reopened and then the numbers just could not sustain the operation," said Rania Nasreddine.

Bread and Butter is just one of many locally owned businesses impacted by COVID. Monday, Sky Fitness announced their plans to close the Broken Arrow location on July 15th. In a statement, Sky Fitness said the closure is due to the devastating effects of COVID-19.

Back at Bread and Butter Nasreddine said it seems like everyone is feeling the effects.

"The small minority of them are probably doing fine or okay, but none of them are doing well. Restaurants like ours, where people are used to coming in, sharing an appetizer and a few entrees - it's just not the same set up," said Nasreddine.

Sky Fitness sent the following statement:

It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of the Sky of Broken Arrow facility effective July 15, 2020, at noon. The devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to reassess our operations and make this exceedingly difficult decision.

We first want to thank the Broken Arrow community for their support. We have loved being a part of your daily lives and feel proud of the connections made here. Rest assured, Sky is not going away. We will continue to serve our community and reinvest in Sky’s other two locations in South Tulsa and Midtown. Our dedication to our members’ health is stronger than ever, and we know we will all emerge from this pandemic with renewed determination to lead healthier lives.

Sky of Broken Arrow memberships will transfer to one of Sky’s other two locations where they can work out alongside the team and fellow members they love and know well.

Our thoughts are also with our valued team members. We are doing our best to shift as many team members to our other facilities and will assist any others in their job search.