Las Vegas restaurants born during pandemic see vision come to light with increased traffic

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — The road to economic recovery is looking a lot brighter this weekend locals and tourists return to downtown Las Vegas.

News 3 went down to Main Street Saturday where businesses are finally seeing a payoff for their struggle to survive.

Some businesses in the Arts District say traffic is picking up. At sometimes reaching pre-pandemic levels.

But for some restaurants new to the neighborhood, they’re just now seeing a glimpse of business at its full potential.

The Arts District is home to dozens of small businesses. “We love the culture, we love the people down here.”

It’s why Nevada Brew Works owner Jason Taylor planted his seed in the up-and-coming brewery row last September. But the opportunity for growth was stumped by the winter surge in Covid-19 cases.

“It was scary. A brewery is a big endeavor. It’s a big place, it takes a lot of capital,” Taylor said.

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The open patio constructed for sunny summer days was quickly gloomed by catering and takeout services.

“We’ve had trouble trying to figure out what’s our staffing going to be. How many people should we have on? How much food should we be buying? It’s really growing rapidly for us right now to see like this is what perhaps we should’ve been when we first started,” Taylor said.

Taylor said an uptick in foot traffic downtown is now shaking things up with 50% capacity.

“We’re definitely seeing a lot of locals. We’re starting to see a ton of regulars starting come back,” Taylor said.

Just down the street, Main St. Provisions owner Kim Owens said she too has seen a shift in the last two weeks.

“I’ve been told no less than two dozen times that this is the first time I’ve been in a restaurant since the pandemic started,” Owens said.

And for many, it was the first time inside Main St. Provisions. Owens opened shop in December 2020 with only 25% capacity and just 22 employees.

“It’s been an opportunity to have that slow and steady growth,” Owens said.

But the recent rise in tourism and support from locals is what makes opening a restaurant during a pandemic worth the risk.

“I'm looking forward to people becoming more comfortable going out to eat. This was the best decision and the best location I could’ve found because of the community in the arts district,” Owens said.

Both businesses said they see better days ahead with opportunities to expand their staff. Providing more Nevadans a job while still contributing to downtown growth.