No one on the face of the planet could possibly be pleased with the impacts of the pandemic, and that most definitely includes local business owners and live performers.
Just ask Kurt Zende and John Banco.
Thankfully, most of the businesses in and surrounding Centre Market have realized an increase in customers during the past two months, according to the manager of the city’s crowned jewel in Center Wheeling. And live music? In the plans.
Kurt Zende, the economic development specialist for the city of Wheeling, was assigned to re-invent Centre Market nearly 10 years ago, and since then the historic district has been deemed a huge success. Zende also is charged with finding new occupants for the campus of the former Ohio Valley Medical Center and has attracted a few with several more pending agreements in place.
“The customer base at Centre Market has improved significantly from what most of the business owners have told me, and the restaurants inside the market houses have seen nice crowds pretty much every day,” he said. “Now that the numbers of positive cases have been decreasing since the beginning of February, the number of people coming down to Centre Market has been increasing each day, and it’s been great to see.
“When this all began almost a year ago, I don’t think anyone knew how long it was going to last,” Zende said. “And I doubt anyone thought it was going to last this long, but it has, and we have done what we have needed to do. Hopefully, in the future we can get back to normal so that everyone feels safe to come to Centre Market like they used to.”
Concert Season Is a Go … For Now
While all outdoor concerts and festivals in the Wheeling area were canceled in 2020, the summer concert series at Centre Market is scheduled to begin in June and extend into October.
The live performances, according to Zende, will take place on the Market Street side near local restaurants like Market Vines and the Wheeling Brewing Company. The shows moved in 2019 to the Lane B side of Centre Market, but the switch is being made after a plethora of requests were received.
“We were hoping to start the concerts in the middle of May, but we received guidance from the health department to wait for June, so that’s exactly what we have done,” he explained. “We heard from a lot of people and some of the business owners that they wanted us to move the shows back to where they were the first few years, so that’s the plan.
“But it’s all subject to change based on the Covid numbers and what the state determines as far as guidelines, but right now the scheduling for the summer months has taken place, and we’re making plans for the events,” Zende continued. “Overall, I think Centre Market has bounced back very well and will only improve. We did lose businesses during the pandemic, but we have some new additions that have opened, and there are more in the next few months.”
The Show Must Go On!
More than a week ago, W.Va. Gov. Jim Justice lifted the prohibition on live entertainment, but he also banned vocals and woodwind instruments from being a part of such performances.
For performer and local promoter Jon Banco, the governor’s mandate cut his legs out from under him. Not only does Banco book nothing but bands featuring talented singers, but he also is a saxophonist with Eli Lambie and the Mojo Kings and a few other duos that perform for crowds at Wheeling area bars and restaurants.
“When I heard Gov. Justice make the announcement, at first I was really excited that I could get back to what I do for a living, but then a few seconds later, I was, like, ‘What?’ I get it because of how the virus is spread, but I would think plexiglass would work just like it does everywhere else. You can go into a store and buy whatever you want and do it from behind plexiglass.
“I’m just hoping people continue being more careful and the numbers keep going down. Maybe then we can get back to 100 percent occupancy. He increased it from 50 percent to 75 percent, so hopefully we’ll get to 100 percent of everything in March,” he said. “I really would like to play my sax again.”
