Glur's Tavern still struggling with reduced patronage

Glur’s Tavern in Columbus has stood the test of time as a historic landmark for the city- and one of the oldest bars in the state.

While the place never fully closed its doors during the COVID-19 shutdown, the impact is still being felt months later.

“There wasn’t much traffic going on,” said Todd Trofholz, the current owner of Glur’s Tavern. “I’d get a few people in the afternoon for lunch, and then by 7 o clock, 8 o clock at night it was pretty much done.”

For two weeks since St. Patrick’s day, patronage was brought to a near standstill. And it only got worse.

“April 4th is when, on a Saturday, they closed us down,” Trofholz said. “And all we could do is to-go orders then.”

“I did a lot of stuff on Facebook trying to get people to come out. We had a pretty good base of people that supported us.”

The bar was able to bring some people back into its doors on May 4th, and on June 15th full occupancy was permitted. But taps, for the most part, remained closed, and tables, unfilled.

“It’s just been a slow drip, really, the whole time,” Trofholz said. “It has been a pretty big struggle. It really has been.”

Trofholz and his wife took ownership of the bar in 1992. In that time, they've never experienced a drought quite as heavy this one.

So far, it’s been a pretty rough Summer.

"Gosh, if they don't have football this Fall, it could be a long Fall, too," Trofholz said.