The music is silent and the beer is stagnant at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor.
A new Joe Biden presidential campaign ad features Blind Pig co-owner Joe Malcoun, who blames the business’s economic inactivity on President Donald Trump.
“For 50 years, the Blind Pig has been open and crowded, but right now it’s an empty room,” says Malcoun in the minute-long ad posted to YouTube on Thursday, Oct. 15. “This is the reality of Trump’s Covid response.
“We don’t know how much longer we can survive not having any revenue.”
The video had been viewed 5,145 times as of Sunday afternoon.
A lot of restaurants and bars that have been mainstays for years will not make it through this," Malcoun says. “This is Donald Trump’s economy. There’s no plan and you don’t know how to go forward.”
Michigan is currently experiencing a surge in new cases of the coronavirus and reported 2,030 new cases on Thursday, Oct. 15, the highest single-day, new-case total since April 3.
Michigan, as of Saturday, had 144,897 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, 7,010 of which have resulted in death.
Derek Stanton, of Detroit, works sound during Mittenfest IX held at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor on Friday, January 2, 2015. (Tyler Stabile, MLive.com)
For two months over the summer, the 8 Ball Saloon, which is under he same ownership as the Blind Pig and located beneath it, served customers outside. It has since ended outdoor service.
The Blind Pig in June considered resuming live music concerts, but decided to cancel its summer and fall bookings after experiencing low attendance.
The concert venue has capacity for about 400 people and has hosted acts ranging from Otis Rush and Nirvana to KRS-One through its storied history.
The 4,355-square-foot building was built in 1901, according to MLive records, and served as a spot for musical acts over more than five decades.
Michigan’s leisure and hospitality sector continues to be the hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic restrictions. According to the Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, the sector as of September had lost 144,000 jobs, compared to the year prior, a 33% decline.
Michigan’s construction industry, with .1% more jobs than in 2019, is the only sector that has seen an increase in employment.
“My only hope for my family and for this business and my community,” Malcoun says at the conclusion of the ad, “is that Joe Biden wins this election.”
More on MLive:
Blind Pig to hold off on live music
Ann Arbor music venue where Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins played listed for sale
Iconic Ann Arbor music venue Blind Pig has new owners, some changes on the way