Texas bars, bowling alleys and other businesses were able to reopen Friday — the start of Memorial Day weekend — as long as they limited the number of customers to 25% of their occupancy. And restaurants were able to start operating at 50% capacity.

The reopenings are part of Gov. Greg Abbott‘s efforts to revive the state’s battered economy, which appears headed for a recession. Although businesses are allowed to reopen, experts caution that the economic recovery from a statewide shutdown will be slow due to continued fears of the coronavirus, among other factors.

Still, many Texans took advantage of being allowed to again frequent businesses they hadn’t visited for several weeks as establishments closed to stop the spread of the virus. In Houston, officials said they’d received hundreds of complaints about businesses being overcrowded and vowed to crack down on establishments not adhering to Abbott’s guidelines.

On Friday and Saturday, photographers Jordan Vonderhaar and Sergio Flores carefully ventured out in Austin, masked and mindful of social distance, to get a sense of how the reopenings went. Here are some of their photos.

A bartender at Buck Wild on West Sixth Street in downtown Austin waited for customers Friday as bars reopened.
A bartender at Buck Wild on West Sixth Street in downtown Austin waited for customers Friday as bars reopened. Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune

First: Patrons visited the Blind Pig Pub on West Sixth Street in downtown Austin. Last: Customers sat at the bar in B.D. Riley’s Irish Pub in Austin on Friday. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune

The San Jac Saloon attracted customers with drink specials and live music Friday.
The San Jac Saloon attracted customers with drink specials and live music Friday. Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune
Rae Rucker, 27, said she's missed her favorite hobby, bowling, during the pandemic.
Rae Rucker, 27, said she’s missed her favorite hobby, bowling, during the pandemic. “There’s plenty of space in here to maintain social distancing, which is definitely not the case where I work,” the Austin bar employee said. Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune

First: People waited to cross the street in downtown Austin on Saturday. Last: People rode scooters through an intersection in downtown Austin. Credit: Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune

People walked down the sidewalk in downtown Austin on Saturday.
People walked down the sidewalk in downtown Austin on Saturday. Sergio Flores for The Texas Tribune

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John Jordan is the senior visuals editor, part of the team that ensures our stories are graced with arresting visuals. Based in Austin, John grew up in South America and has managed to hang on to some...