LA County moves from purple to red tier. Business owners are cautiously optimistic

The Museum of Neon Art has lost about 70% of its estimated revenue during the pandemic and pivoted online, says executive director Corrie Siegel. She’s seen a hunger for digital, and eventual in-person, experiences.

The Museum of Neon Art has lost about 70% of its estimated revenue during the pandemic and pivoted online, says executive director Corrie Siegel. She’s seen a hunger for digital, and eventual in-person, experiences. Photo by Gary Van Der Steur.

LA County has officially moved out of California’s most restrictive purple tier and into the red tier. The shift means movie theaters, gyms, museums, and restaurants can resume indoor operations in limited capacities. Some business owners are cautiously eyeing the return and need to prepare for guests.

That includes Greg Laemmle, owner of Laemmle Theaters. “We could have started this process a few weeks ago. But you know, given our experience last summer where LA got close to reopening but didn't quite make it, we wanted to make sure that this was definitely happening.”

Other business owners, such as Corrie Siegel at the Museum of Neon Art (MONA), are taking their time to reopen.

“I'm not jumping into anything quite yet. And I want to make sure that all of our staff feels confident and able to resume their duties because it has been a year of closure,” she says.

From this Episode:

Credits

Host:

Madeleine Brand

Producers:

Sarah Sweeney, Angie Perrin, Michell Eloy, Amy Ta, Rosalie Atkinson, Brian Hardzinski, Bennett Purser