Alex King takes us to Brewed coffee shop, which is being cited for violating coronavirus restrictions.
Have to close his doors...after the health department closed one of his...literally.
The health department cited his business for trying to get around new restrictions with a garage door.
Abc 36's alex king sat down with the owner who says... he can't afford to shutdown his business... he needs to pay his bills.
Andrew:"i'm a millionare, now i'm on food stamps."
Brewed owner andrew cooperrider... opened up his lexington coffee shop tuesday like any other day... but by the time a group of people stopped in and sat down ... he was having a conversation with someone from the health department.
He says she came in for a routine inspection... but then told him he's not following new covid restrictions.
Andrew: "if no ones ever been in our space before, we have a bay door and so we crack that bay door.
Creating just as much airflow as you get with these otudoor tents that you see outside of other places."
Cooperrider says the department told him to have everyone leave immediately.
When he refused... a sign was posted on the front door saying the establishment is closed and he was told the police would be involved.
Andrew:"we can't afford to do this.
I mean me and my family are already working here from open to close so we can afford out labor.
We just can't afford to close."
He says he already lost one of his buisnesses in the first round of shutdowns.
He believes every restaurant should be able to make their own choices.
Overall, he says he still has a lot of questions and didn't get any answers from the health department.
Andrew:"no one can tell me why i can go to a bowling alley but i can't come here.
Nobody can tell me why i can go to a grocery store, go to walmart or kroger but sitting down and drinking a cup of coffee is the end of the world."
The health department says it's enforcing the new rules...by suspending brewed's food permit.
Andrew:"am i incurring fines every day i stay open... what are the consequences for these actions?
I don't know."
Kevin hall with the health department says... besides brewed, the health department has issued one citation with a fine since friday at the marathon on bryan station.
Alex king, abc 36 news.
Ots image:right small business saturday shop small.jpg have you
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