Golden Mast extends hours amid pandemic

Starting as a small tavern in 1967, the Golden Mast has turned into a premier dining and events location on Okauchee Lake.

FOR TWO MONTHS... MANYBUSINESSES HAVE BEEN OPERATINGUNDER THOSE 'SAFER AT HOME'RESTRICTIONS... INCLUDING'GOLDEN MAST' IN WAUKESHACOUNTY.

OUR DELANEY BREY SPOKEWITH THEM-- AND SHARES HOWTHEY'VE ADAPTED DURING SOMECHALLENGING TIMES.STARTING AS A SMALL TAVERN IN1967 - THE GOLDEN MAST HASTURNED INTO A PREMIER DININGAND EVENTS LOCATION ONOKAUCHEE LAKE.

"This is ourramping up season right now.We go from Easter and Mother'sDay where we serve over athousand people.

And ourweddings take off, we do twoor three weddings everyweekend up to 350 people.

Nowit's just a whole new feelingAN EMPTY FEELING FOR GENERALMANAGER LISA MARKS ... ASCOVID-19 KEEPS CUSTOMERS ATHOME.

AND FOR A LARGER VENUELIKE THE GOLDEN MAST THATMEANT SHUTTING THE DOORS MOSTOF THE WEEK.

"We really justhad to stick to our biggerdays.

Which are Friday andSaturdayBUT THANKS TO THECOMMUNITY IT PAID OFF.

:"Wisconsin fish fry at theGolden Mast during Lent isjust not going to go away.They came out and theysupported us and it was amazingSO AMAZING THAT STARTING THISWEEK - GOLDEN MAST WILL BEEXTENDING ITS HOURS.

"We willbe going from Thursday toSunday.

We also get a lot ofboat traffic so we havestarted our dock side pickupas well.")))FOR NOW, IT'SENOUGH LIGHT AT THE END OF THETUNNEL.THOUGH LISA AND HERFAMILY ARE PREPARING FOR CANWELCOME GUEST BACK INSIDE."We've added french doors andwooden partitions in betweensome of our dining rooms tocreate separation, to makecustomers feel morecomfortable.

We took our bigbanquet room which usuallyseats 300 people and made itinto a dinning room with smalltables and six-footseparations in between eachITMAY TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO,BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT JUSTREOPENING.

IT'S ABOUT NEVERHAVING TO CLOSE AGAIN.

"Weknow they (the community)still want to be here andsupport us.

So we very muchare looking forward to openingthe doors, but in a dafemanner as we are a largefacility.

We want to be safefor the public and for ourstaffDELANEY BREY TMJ4 NEWS.NOW WITH THE SUPREME COURT'SRULING-- WE KNOW A LOT OFTHINGS ARE CHANGING, SOMEBUSINESSES ARE REOPENING--WHILE OTHERS WILL REMAINCLOSED... OR ONLY OPEN FORTAKEOUT AND DELIVERY.

WE'VEGOT A LIST THAT WE'RE UPDATINGDAILY ON THE BUSINESSES THATáARE OPEN ON TMJ4.C