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ROCK ISLAND, Illinois (WQAD) — Live music hasn’t echoed through Rozz Tox since the COVID-19 pandemic first began earlier this year. This was supposed to be the week where owner Benjamin Fawks reopened the indoor space for bar and cafe customers, for the first time since March.
“Most music venues are also bars, and these were the first places to close for obvious reasons,” Fawks says. “We were going to reopen on (November) 11th, which is my mother’s birthday. She passed away three years ago, and she helped me open (Rozz Tox).”
But because of mitigation efforts on restaurants and bars like his in Region Two and across Illinois, the Rozz Tox team is now pivoting to opening a new drive-thru window later this month and a small retail space later this winter.
“That’s the thing I feel will carry us through the winter now,” Fawks says.
Fawks says he didn’t reopen the indoor space of Rozz Tox earlier this year because of health concerns.
“50 percent capacity for us is 50 people, and for us, 50 people in here is packed,” he says.
He says it’s not enough to rely on outdoor DJ concerts like they had this summer to continue through the colder months.
“In reality, how many people will come out every weekend in 10 degree weather and snow,” Fawks says.
But the community is still coming out for Rozz Tox, raising more than $6,000 to help them pay their bills through winter.
“It’s definitely going to help us through the winter, at least for a few months,” Fawks says. “($7,000) is a pretty accurate number to get us through 2 months without any business.”
Benjamin says he’s not 100 percent confident Rozz Tox can survive this pandemic, but he’s thankful for the support from the community. He’s hoping to schedule some outdoor events this winter as well.
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