Cincinnati Magazine
February 9, 2021
Last October, Joe Klare and Andrew Bedinghaus were chatting in a group message about the effects of the pandemic. Mainly, they were expressing their concerns about the impact COVID-19 was having on the hospitality industry. With winter right around the corner, they were growing worried about what would happen to their favorite spots once outdoor dining was no longer a feasible option.
Photo courtesy of Polar Dining Club
“We all love going to restaurants and bars,” Klare says. “We think they’re really important parts of our community.”
They were on a mission to come up with an effective solution: how to support local businesses through the frigid months, and how to do it safely. When someone in the group chat suggested that they could sit out in the snow, that sparked an idea. “I do that every winter when I go skiing, and I have no problem doing it,” Klare says.