Hundreds flock to restaurant after it defies coronavirus lockdown orders and reopens
Individuals that violate the order can reportedly face a fine of up to $1,000 or jail time.
Hundreds of customers were seen crammed in a restaurant after it defied coronavirus lockdown orders and reopened on Mother’s Day.
Footage shows the crowd completely disregarding social distancing guidelines at C&C Coffee and Kitchen in Castle Rock, Colorado on Sunday despite a state order that all restaurants must restrict business to delivery options and drive-up services. Many of the patrons can also be seen without masks.
The restaurant’s owner, April Arellano, even posted live video to Facebook documenting the huge turnout, according to The Denver Post. In the footage, Arellano, who is seen without a mask, can be heard saying: ‘I’m sure a lot of people are wondering like what the turnout ended up being.’
She pans the camera around the restaurant, saying ‘This…and then a line down the street.’
‘So much for some of those people saying nobody would show up. And our patio’s full too. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for this support guys. I got to get back to work. Have a great day,’ Arellano continues.
The state’s stay-at-home order expired on April 26 allowing non-essential businesses to open under ‘Safer at Home’ guidelines meant to prevent the outbreak from flaring up again.
‘(U)nder Safer at Home, restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, and other similar places of public accommodation offering food or beverage for on-premises consumption are still closed,’ a spokesperson for the Goveror Jarid Polis’s office told The Denver Post.
‘The restaurants are not only breaking the law, they are endangering the lives of their staff, customers, and community,’ the statement continued.
Individuals that violate the order can reportedly face a fine of up to $1,000 or jail time.
Arellano has not commented publicly on the restaurant’s reopening, but the Twitter page for C&C Coffee and Kitchen declared the reopening was ‘for America, small businesses, the Constitution and against the overreach of our governor in Colorado.’
She later wrote on Facebook that she ‘would go out of business if I don’t do something…if I lose the business at least I’m fighting.’
Commenting on her own post, Arellano wrote: ‘We are so behind. We have complied for two months. We cannot make it on $200/day sales when 2 staff cost me $250 not counting, food, cost, utilities and rent.’