By Michael Cobb

After more than a year of being shut down, Infinity Hall reopened its doors to the public last summer. But managing lost revenue and surviving with the help of governmental assistance were only part of the equation. Infinity Hall had plenty of behind-the-scenes work to do in preparation for reopening, including maintenance on the 19th-century structure, servicing, relicensing and staffing. 

Patrons will notice some adjustments and improvements in the post-lockdown era. For one thing, food service at Infinity is handled differently now. Dining is offered in the restaurant and on the mezzanine, but both spaces are open only on show nights.

Perhaps the biggest change has been in the menu, with a transition from steaks, fish and pizza to a Texas-style smokehouse. “With the smoker there’s no gas, charcoal, fans or anything electric. All the smoking is done outdoors. We use apple wood and other woods to get a nice balanced flavor. The biggest reason for doing that was to simplify the menu and kitchen management in order to get people food faster. Though it takes anywhere from 8-16 hours to smoke the meat, once it’s done we can serve customers quickly,” explains Tyler Grill of GoodWorks Entertainment, which owns and operates Infinity Hall, both in Norfolk and in Hartford. 

A silver lining of the pandemic was the opportunity to reassess best business practices. “If we didn’t get shut down, we wouldn’t have redone the restaurant. We knew things needed to move faster; the BBQ really fixed that. It’s good, fast, filling, and it has the right vibe,” Grill adds. 

Additional challenges include figuring out where to procure meat and the right kind of firewood to achieve smoked barbeque. “We work with vendors that service all of the area restaurants. We pick and choose what we like best. Some of it is locally based. We’ll start to come up with more creative and unique partnerships as we resume, but right now it depends on what’s available when we need it,” he says. 

GoodWorks has also upgraded the hall’s sound and lighting system. “We’ve added more speakers in new locations, which is better for the artist and the fans. Additional lights have been put up, mics and backline [sound equipment available for touring bands] have been improved. We put in a new front-of-house monitor board, added speakers and subwoofers. We’ve always had top-notch gear that meets all contractual requirements, so a lot of it was additional equipment. Every year we adjust to what we’re learning and try to improve the system,” he says. 

High-quality programming will continue in a variety of genres, including blues, rock and tribute bands. “People like music they know well that they can sing along with,” Grill explains. Asked if they support local bands, he says, “Absolutely. We have different local showcases, sometimes we’ll do music in the bar area or put local bands in support for acts that sell well, which allows them to gain a following. For example, Les Special is a group with some members that are local who have done well on their own.”

Norfolk residents might recall the Bistro’s popular open mic night. “We’d love to bring that back,” Grill says, “but the issue is that the restaurant is only open on show nights. We have to wait till we’re on a regular schedule to do that again.” 

In terms of the employee shortage facing many restaurants and businesses, Grill comments, “I think we’re building back to what it was. We’re certainly always looking to add to our staff, especially in the restaurant.” He adds, “We have a lot of staff jumping between the two venues, and there’s probably more of that than before, for example bartenders traveling from Hartford to Norfolk and vice versa.”

The State of Connecticut allows local municipalities to set their own Covid safety protocols. Although Hartford requires patrons to wear masks, Infinity Hall Norfolk does not. However, Infinity Hall’s website states: “Beginning October 12, 2021, Infinity Hall (both Hartford and Norfolk) will require all patrons to provide proof of Covid-19 vaccination, or a negative Covid-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of the event. This requirement is in addition to any local mask mandates.”

Looking ahead, Grill says, “Right now we’re just trying to get back to normal. We’re not going to make any drastic moves; we just want to get back to pre-Covid levels of business. We bought Infinity Hall 11 months before it was shut down. We’d already made internal changes, and the business was doing well. Now we’ve got to start all over again to regain the traction we built up when we bought it. We’re trying to get shows consistently happening and deal with the ever changing rules, regulations and communications.”