Photos of Texas’ continued reopening: Bars, bowling alleys and other businesses welcome back customers

Texas bars, bowling alleys and other businesses were able to reopen Friday — the start of Memorial Day weekend — as long as they limited the number of customers to 25% of their allowed occupancy. And restaurants were able to start operating at 50% capacity.

The reopenings are part of Gov. Greg Abbott‘s efforts to revive the state’s battered economy, which appears headed for a recession. Even though businesses are allowed to reopen, experts caution that the economic recovery from a statewide shutdown will be slow due to continued fears of the coronavirus, among other factors.

Still, many Texans took advantage of being allowed to again frequent businesses they hadn’t visited for several weeks as establishments closed to stop the spread of the virus. In Houston, officials said they’d received hundreds of complaints about businesses being overcrowded and vowed to crack down on establishments not adhering to Abbott’s guidelines.

On Friday and Saturday, photographers Jordan Vonderhaar and Sergio Flores carefully ventured out in Austin, masked and mindful of social distance, to get a sense of how the reopenings went. Here are some of their photos.

A bartender waits for customers at Buck Wild on West 6th street in downtown Austin as bars reopen on May 22, 2020. — A bartender waits for customers at Buck Wild on West 6th street in downtown Austin as bars reopened Friday. Photo credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune

First: Patrons inside the Blind Pig Pub on West 6th Street in downtown Austin. Last: Customers sit at the bar in B.D. Riley’s Irish Pub in Austin on Friday. Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune

The San Jac Saloon attracts customers with drink specials and live music on May 22, 2020. — The San Jac Saloon attracts customers with drink specials and live music on Friday. Photo credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune

Rae Rucker, age 27, a server at a local bar, has missed her favorite hobby, bowling, during the pandemic. "There's plenty ... — Rae Rucker, 27, has missed her favorite hobby, bowling, during the pandemic. “There’s plenty of space in here to maintain social distancing, which is definitely not the case where I work,” the Austin bar employee said. Photo credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for the Texas Tribune

First: People wait to cross the street in downtown Austin on May 23, 2020. Last: A pair of scooter riders ride through an intersection in downtown Austin on May 23, 2020. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune