Tulsa Area Restaurants, Businesses Grapple With New Rise In COVID-19 Cases

Tulsa area restaurant and business owners are grappling with how to handle the rise in COVID cases.

Some will require masks, while others are waiting to see.

Brick Brothers Pizza opened this week in downtown Bixby, and it's been packed, but a staffing shortage and rising COVID numbers have complicated things.

That's how a lot of business owners are feeling.

Last minute preparations are underway at Jenks' newest bakery: Cookies, Cakes, and Jews.

"We thought it was a good idea for me to go ahead and leave and do something I've always wanted to do, and open a bakery," said Jimmy Darnell. 

Darnell and David Chapman are co-owners of the bakery, which will feature lots of treats with vegan and gluten free options as well as Jewish baked goods and other local products.

Both men worked in the medical field and experienced COVID-19 first-hand.

"Safety is a big thing for us," Chapman said.

They will be requiring masks when they open in a few weeks, and plan to offer curbside pickup and outdoor seating.

"We're going to try to be a jack of all trades in the baking world," Chapman said.

In Bixby, restaurant owner Travis Davidson opened Brick Brothers Pizza this week.

"We were hoping to see COVID in our rearview mirror," said Davidson. 

Business is booming, and he said they sold out the first day. The hardest part has been finding people to work.

"Staffing has been 100 percent the most difficult part of the last year," Davidson said. "I'm having to pull from my other restaurants to staff it."

Davidson also owns Cardinal Club and Trey's Bar and Grill in Tulsa. He said COVID has been exhausting to navigate as a business owner.

Davidson said he's keeping an eye on COVID numbers and is ready to adapt if he needs to.

"We went through this," he said. "At least the general shock, hopefully, will be gone."

All the business owners said they'll do what they need to keep people safe and keep their doors open.