VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Grace Eberhard is home from Virginia Commonwealth University for the summer. Before she heads back to Richmond, she needs to make some money.
"It's good to not just leave with $50. It's good to leave with $150 or $200. It makes me feel a lot better about going back to school," Eberhard says from outside Murphy's Irish Pub at the Oceanfront.
Those $200 nights are finally the norm again with Governor Ralph Northam lifting restrictions on May 28.
"Even last summer it was so dead at the Oceanfront. There weren't any people here. It's really good to see people coming out, it's been a lot better summer."
This past weekend felt like old times with the return of major events to the Oceanfront.
"A lot of families coming in, a lot of kids. Everyone was really excited about sand soccer," Eberhard says of the tournament that brings 30,000 people per day to the Oceanfront.
Chichos Pizza owner Matt Potter says they felt it in the kitchen.
"Sand soccer was one of the bigger weekends that we've had. Went through 800 pounds of flour and a thousand pounds of cheese this weekend alone," he says of the weekend's serving.
Abbey Road owner Bill Dillon says the weekend has them on track to surpass old heights.
"It looks like June is gonna beat... I go back two years not last year, you can't compare with last year," says Dillon. Comparing with last year may not provide an accurate snapshot of profitable business, but it does give a glimpse into the return to normalcy that the local service industry is beginning to experience.
"We had a very good weekend, great to see families in here enjoying themselves, good to see them back in town."