Thirsty Isle, a bar that survived prohibition in the 1920s and the loss of some of its best customers after the closure of the C-17 plant in 2015, is struggling to survive the coronavirus pandemic which has become an existential threat to restaurants, retailers and other industries across the city.
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James “Jimmy” DeBois, who owns Thirsty Isle, one of Long Beach’s oldest bars, has resorted to selling off pieces of the historic Lakewood Village tavern, from neon lights to beer mirrors in an effort to pay his monthly $5,000 rent.
When his bar closed in March due to pandemic restrictions, DeBois, 59, began digging into his personal savings and retirement to pay the rent. When local authorities allowed for reopening, DeBois bought beer and food expecting business to return to normal. But, he said, they only he operated for 10 days in June before closing again at the end of that same month.