Owner of Twin Ports Bars, Restaurants Weighs in On Proposed Superior Mask Mandate

After abiding by the new ordinance at his Duluth locations, Rick Lampton says he expects adjusting at Grizzly's and 7 West in Superior to go smoothly.

SUPERIOR, Wis.- In just three days the Superior City Council will vote on whether to implement an indoor public mask mandate similar to Duluth. Now more bar and restaurant owners are speaking out on that proposed ordinance.

Rick Lampton, owner of many establishments in both Duluth and Superior, including Grizzly’s and 7 West Taphouse, has already adjusted his businesses to the mask requirement on the Minnesota side of the bridge.

His employees in Superior are already wearing masks. He said it won’t be much to ask customers there to wear them if it means making his businesses safer from the virus, and from shutting down.

“We’re already wearing masks in Superior and so to us it doesn’t matter,” said Lampton. “Having to control the guests is a little bit harder but for the most part everyone’s pretty receptive and understands what’s going on.”

“Whatever we got to do to keep us open,” he said.

Superior City Council voted to table the ordinance until its upcoming meeting on Tuesday. Just as in Duluth, it would require masks in all indoor public places.

All signs point to it passing, with only Councilor Keith Kern, a bar owner himself, voicing opposition.