At the request of his employees, Alexandre’s owner Lee Daugherty has announced that he is closing the bar for at least the month of January in an attempt to help stem the spread of COVID-19. The decision came after an employee tested positive for COVID in a pre-shift rapid test and in consideration of the fact that the new Omicron variant is much more contagious.

Alexandre’s is the second Oak Lawn area bar to close due to Omicron; Hidden Door President Harvey Meissner announced Dec. 22 that that bar would be closed “until at least Jan. 5.”

Here is Daugherty’s announcement in its entirety:

“Several days ago, after a worker tested positive during a pre-shift rapid test, the workers of Alexandre’s convened, wrote, and have unanimously voted on a proposal they submitted to me this Saturday morning.

While Alexandre’s has spent tens of thousands in mitigation infrastructure, masks, and tests, it unfortunately is simply not enough to secure the high-risk environment of a bar against a virus as transmissible as the Omicron variant.

Due to the nature of bars, workers and guests are continually exposed and bombarded with droplets and aerosols of an overall unmasked drinking environment. With dropping temperatures, lack of rapid tests, and exponential rise in cases, one thing has unfortunately become clear: we can no longer assure the continued safety of workers or guests inside of Alexandre’s against the coronavirus.

With that known, no one signed up for an infection as a condition of employment. Allowing a virus to slowly cripple us in the name of profits, contrary to what the CDC recommends, is a REALLY bad plan.

Their proposal calls for an immediate shutdown of Alexandre’s for a period of no less than 30 days to avoid the continued massive incoming wave of transmission here.

The proposal calls for all workers to be placed on paid sick leave for the entirety of the shutdown.

I am so proud of everyone that works here and as their safety, health, and workplace democracy is more important to me than anything that exists under the sun, I have accepted and executed their proposal effective January 1st, 2022 at 12pm. Alexandre’s will close for the month of January.

I think I can speak for them and say we are going to miss seeing and serving so many of you across January, but bold measures must be taken to keep us, y’all, and our community safe. Please be careful, mask up, and take care of each other. We’ll see everyone soon. Solidarity to all during these trying times.”

— Tammye Nash