Tulsa Restaurants Rush To Reconfigure Space For COVID-19 Restrictions

Many Oklahoma bars and restaurants are rushing to get in compliance with the governor's new executive order, which mandates restaurants space out tables or provide dividers by Thursday.

For some, that means custom ordering plexiglass shields to keep people safe.

Nola's Creole and Cocktails in Tulsa had to reconfigure their restaurant to space tables further apart, and they just installed new plexiglass shields at their bar thanks to a local plastic company's quick work.

The governor's order requires restaurants to space tables six feet apart, and if that's not possible, they must use sanitized dividers.

For restaurants like Nola's Creole and Cocktails on Cherry Street, this week was crunch time.

"I thought, how do we get drinks and dinner plates to the customer? That's how I came up with the center section there," said Mark Loop.

Loop does maintenance for Nola's. He brought his shield design plan to Tulsa Plastics Company, and the company brought it to life in a day.

The opening in the plexiglass fits a plate and a drink and the shields were placed at the bar area of the restaurant.

"It's gone through the roof--demand," said Raleigh Blakemore.

Blakemore with Tulsa Plastics said the company has been working tirelessly this week to meet the new demand from restaurants getting in compliance with the new order.

He said for him, this is personal. One of his co-workers passed away Wednesday due to COVID-19 complications, leaving behind a wife and son. He said he was a great friend and a loving father and husband.

"It's another unnecessary death,” Blakemore said. "We're doing everything we can to get these out the door and protect people.”

With lots of space between tables, constant sanitizing, and now, these protective shields, Nola's General Manager Trevor Moore said they're ready for whatever the next challenge could be.

"Please support us. This is a tough time for every restaurant," Moore said.

The mandate also said bars and restaurants have to close by 11 p.m. but can still serve food to go after that.