Since March of last year, Washington has been wracked by lockdowns, restrictions, mask mandates, and social distancing protocols — all created in an attempt to mitigate the reach of a virus that has claimed some 6,000 lives. But last week, in what will hopefully be the first of many to come, residents across the state took their first steps out from the cold shadow of COVID-19.

Some were cautious as they began to return to their favorite spots throughout Jefferson County on the day of statewide opening June 30, with some still wearing the masks that have become inextricably linked to these strange days. Many others were ready to celebrate a normal Wednesday, like those in pre-pandemic days.

A toast to health

Kim Sands, owner of the Port Townsend Brewing Company, said the reopening was a welcome change. Sands said she relished taking a pair of gardening loppers to the rope that had been slung across the bar stools, preventing patrons from shouldering up at the bar for a cold one.

Surprisingly, despite having to social distance, Sands said she felt herself becoming closer to some of her brewery’s patrons.

As customers weren’t allowed to sit at the bar and chat with the bartenders, Sands found herself talking with her regular delivery customers more and more over the phone, eventually leading to a sort of dial-in bartender service.

“I had really great conversations with a lot of people over the phone,” she said. “They were homebound and they wanted to talk and I think there’s a lot of goodwill that comes from just talking to people.”

Topics would range from how their families are doing during the pandemic to their pets, as was the case for one of Sands’ homebound clients.

“We talked about his cat, Patches,” Sands said. “Then one delivery day, he left my driver with a picture of Patches for me to have.”

Sands added that the reopening has allowed for live music to return to her brewery once again — every Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. — something she said her customers have been anxiously awaiting.

“Everybody’s just dying for it,” Sands said.

Over at Pourhouse, bartender Mariah Vane said she felt a little weird not wearing her mask while at work, especially after having spent more than a year with one covering her face.

“I’m just like, ‘Don’t look at me!’” Vane said. “I’m checking my facial expressions, too. I got good at smiling with my eyes and then my lower face could just do whatever.”

Vane said the general consensus among her fellow staff was relief at the prospect of no longer having to confront customers who refuse to put on a mask. 

“[Sometimes] people want to fight you on that. It’s so exhausting,” she said. “We’ve had to ask people to leave because they weren’t willing to wear masks. It’s stressful.”

While the business has remained fairly busy throughout the pandemic, Vane said the absence of indoor seating was a noticeable hurdle. But when it came to providing a safe environment for their customers, the staff at Pourhouse had to stay firm.

“We’ve really stuck to our guns on following the guidelines and making sure that anyone can come in and feel safe,” Vane said.

Things were starting to look a bit more like something resembling normal over at the Hilltop Tavern as the after-work crowd trickled in. One of the tavern’s regulars walked in and pulled up a stool before he was reminded of the auspicious occasion.

“No masks, Mark,” hollered co-owner Judy Lundgren to the man.

“Oh, thank God!” he responded, throwing his mask onto the bar top. “This is the only place I ever wear it.”

It wasn’t just the customers celebrating the departure of masks that day.

“It feels crazy,” said Brianna Lundgren, Judy’s daughter who also tends bar at the Hilltop. “It feels naked, but with the heat we went through, it felt suffocating.”

“Wait, this is now a naked bar?” quipped Mark, the regular (who also preferred not to share his last name).

He added that too much uncertainty still surrounds the pandemic for things to feel quite like they did before COVID-19.

“There’s so many unknowns still,” he said. “I think everybody’s tired of it. I think people’s tolerance of it is getting short.”

Pointing to his wife, Shannon, he said they come into the bar regularly to root for the Washington Capitals along with a small group of friends who are also hockey fans.

He added that they have been coming by more frequently as a result of the pandemic, too.

“We’ve come in more during the pandemic to support them,” he said.

Cautious optimism

Piper Corbett, who co-owns Propolis Brewing along with her partner Robert Horner, said there was no rush to throw open their doors.

Not just yet, at least.

“We’re just taking our time,” Corbett said. “I’m still wearing a mask even though our mandate has changed today.”

Corbett said with the unusually warm weather lately, Propolis’ outdoor seating seemed preferable for most customers, anyway.

“We’ve been completely outdoor seating the entire pandemic,” Corbett said. “We have not had anyone inside this entire time. Right now the weather is really beautiful and we’re lucky to be offering this beautiful outdoor seating to people.”

Propolis is primarily focused on the production of their organic ales and barrel-aged sours, so the reopening of their already-quite-small tasting room is a relatively low priority, Corbett added.   

She also noted that their added precautions come from the fact that Propolis’ bubble is rather large.

“I think what’s unique about our small business is that we don’t just have local people, we have people from all over the country. And when the borders open in other countries, they come and visit us. So we have to be even more careful.”

Alchemy Bistro & Wine Bar won’t be at full capacity just yet, based on a shortage of staff.

Owner Kris Nelson outlined her desire to add more staff as soon as possible. In the meantime, Alchemy and Sirens will be adding tables and bar stools periodically when they are able.

Part of Nelson’s focus still remains on outside seating while the weather is still nice. Masks are optional for fully vaccinated people.

At Sirens, where tables and chairs on the deck are close together, the dividers that separate parties will remain up. “It’s about making sure that people feel comfortable and good about the transition,” Nelson said.

Better Living Through Coffee will move outside for orders.

Similar to last summer, customers can order food and beverages from the register outside, while inside seating and orders will be closed. At the end of summer they will look at options for seating inside.

Quimper Mercantile hasn’t decided what it’s going to do yet as far as full capacity goes.

The Rose Theatre’s owner, Rocky Freidman, hoped to find answers to questions on reopening.

“All I can tell you is that we’re hard at work every day — except in 99 degree weather,” Friedman said, adding that The Rose is trying to reopen by late July. But hitting that mark remains a question mark.

Saint Mary Star of the Sea will be remaining at Phase 3 guidelines for the foreseeable future, with the Catholic church stay at 50 percent capacity.

For the church, that’s 150 people. Because their current masses only draw less than 150 people, they have decided to remain at partial capacity.

Port Townsend educator Kirsten Behrenfeld said people who are going unvaccinated are putting youth at risk, because those under the age of 12 are not able to be vaccinated and protected.

When walking around downtown, she doesn’t wear a mask on the street, but when entering stores, still chooses to wear one.

M’el Christensen, a health worker said, “I am in favor of the mask mandate remaining until we have more evidence of the Delta variant not infecting vaccinated folks and for the safety of our immunocompromised friends and neighbors who, though vaccinated, may not be producing enough antibodies to protect them.”

“I find it difficult to transition back after being such a strong advocate for the use of masks,” said Ben Wilson, a recent arrival to Port Townsend.

“I went without a mask this week to the farmers market and Finnriver for lunch,” Wilson added. “It was weird, but I really enjoyed myself. I am fully vaccinated and wish everyone would get vaccinated so we can remove almost all of the risk.”

Embracing emergence

Quimper Sound is open at full capacity and masks are optional for those who are vaccinated, said owner James Shultz.

But Shultz added that he’s not confident that things will remain this way forever. 

“We have full faith that the state of Washington will shut us down again,” he said. “Our state has one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, yet is one of the last to open.”

Around lunchtime on the state’s reopening day, about one-third of the shoppers at the Port Townsend Safeway were wearing masks.

A sign near the entrance encouraged unvaccinated customers to continue wearing masks.

In a pandemic first, several employees working the checkstands were maskless as they rung up the customers.   

“I am so glad to be getting back to normal,” said Dana Nelson. 

“I am looking forward to eating in a bustling restaurant and ordering off an actual menu rather than through a QR code,” Nelson said.