The coronavirus already has substantially changed life for Blanco business owners who have been adapting to statewide mandates that can change on a dime.

After the governor’s new executive order went into effect on July 3, Blanco County residents now are required to wear a mask when in public spaces. The order applies to counties with at least 20 COVID-19 cases, which includes Blanco County.

As of July 4, the county’s health authority reported 50 confirmed cases countywide, including 8 people who have recovered and one person who died in May. There are another 70 cases that are under investigation, which means there are COVID-19 symptoms but no lab confirmation, according to the Blanco County Office of Emergency Management.

During the month of June, the county saw an increase of 310 percent, from 10 cases on May 31 to 41 cases as of June 30, indicating that Blanco County is not immune to the surge of cases statewide and across the nation.

According to Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-29, “Every person in Texas shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household,” with exceptions for children younger than 10 years old and people with health conditions that preclude the wearing of a mask, among other exceptions.

GA-29 also amends Executive Order GA-28, so that now gatherings of only 10 people are allowed, as opposed to 100.

Adaptable businesses

Although GA-29 might be annoying to some folks, it’s the previous order, GA-28, that has most affected Blanco County businesses because it closed bars and limited the occupancy of restaurants to 50 percent.

Still, businesses are adapting and making it through the tough times.

“I don’t know of any business that’s had to close for good; I think our restaurants are doing a great job of rolling with the punches,” said Libbey Aly, executive director of the Blanco Chamber of Commerce. “Their ability to make quick adjustments to their service models have helped to keep the doors open and their employees on the payroll. I’m really proud of the way our businesses have been able to quickly adjust.”

Aly said that most business owners are taking the changes in stride, with some businesses requiring masks even before the statewide mandate.

“We have a lot of visitors coming to and through town, including from major metropolitan areas, so requiring masks helps keep our community safe.”

Aly continues to encourage folks to support local businesses.

“There’s never been a more important time to shop locally because keeping those dollars in the community will help to keep our community thriving in the months to come.”

Everyone knows that it’s not over yet.

“I think we have a long way to go,” she said. “However, if as a community we make a commitment to help one another and do what’s recommended by health officials, we can get a handle on things. If we all do our part, we’ll make it through this.”

Keeping on the bright side

One local business that just opened a year and a half ago was just starting to gain a foothold when the shutdown began, but its owner is committed to keeping on the bright side.

“We were really just getting going when all this happened, but we’re optimistic because we love what we do,” said Lisa Galizia, co-owner of Tenuta Bianco on the square. “I feel positive about the future. We’ll be better than ever when this is all over.”

Since having to close, Tenuta Bianco started doing curbside service, including special cheese-and-wine pairings and custom gift baskets, and they are considering plans for virtual wine tasting sessions later this month.

Tenuta Bianco also offers artisanal, gourmet groceries.

(For the linguistically curious, Tenuta is Italian for “winery” and Bianco means “white,” which is also what Blanco means, but in Spanish.)

Galizia said the family-run business has grown organically because they have catered to what the local community wants, in terms of wine, live music and ambiance.

“It’s very homey and rustic, like a ‘Cheers’ bar,” she said. “No one comes in without being acknowledged, so there’s a personal touch. We also have a lot of singer-songwriters playing here.”

Galizia said that customers have stayed in touch and still make requests for certain types of wine.

“They have been very supportive,” she said. “It’s nice to have people go out of their way to give us business.”

Tenuta Bianco specializes in Italian wine and in supporting small wineries in Texas.

“We’re about appreciating wine. We want to give people a special experience.”

Although Galizia certainly wishes her establishment was open as normal, she said that the governor’s orders are understandable.

“I think Governor Abbott is doing a good job in these uncharted waters,” she said.

Still, she is looking forward to getting back to business as normal.

“When we do open again, it’ll be something big, with music,” Galizia said. “I want to open back up with a splash.”