Owner Of Diversey Rock and Bowl Makes Case To Reopen Amid COVID-19

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Reopen small, reopen safely, and reopen, soone,r rather than later. That's the growing sentiment among many Illinois business owners.

For 34 years, Mark Iverson has co-owned Diversey Rock and Bowl on Chicago's Northwest Side.  From hand sanitizer to gloves, he says he has the proper measures in place to reopen before the end of June. That's when he believes would be the earliest under Gov. Priztker's current plan.

 "Start out small but start with something," he told CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov. "It is dire."

In addition to hand sanitizer stations and gloves for all employees and bowlers, Iverson says he'll mandate employee temperature checks.  He'll set up social distancing stations, only allow one person at a time to get drinks or food, and clean after every group finishes.  Perhaps most notably?  He's already installed plastic partitions between tables --spacing them out every couple of bowling lanes. 

"There more than six feet apart," Iverson said. The changes have cost his business tens of thousands of dollars, he said.

 Iverson says he speaks for dozens of bowling alley and  small business owners who fear waiting to the end of June to reopen will be too late.  

"We could save some of these businesses. if we open a little bit, just give us 25-50 percent capacity," he said.

 He hopes state lawmakers discuss it in Springfield this week. 

And really hopes the  mayor and governor are listening.

"My plea would be let us open and let us show you what good we can do. We are the American workers. We can do almost anything if given the opportunity," Iverson said.