Brooklyn’s liquor licenses and permits were suspended Dec. 21 for violation of the MDHHS emergency order.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – Brooklyn’s Bar and Grill, 1254 Eureka Road, received an emergency suspension of its liquor licenses and permits Dec. 21 for violating the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services emergency order.
An investigator from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission’s Enforcement Division, based on a complaint that the Brooklyn’s was allowing indoor gatherings, went to the business at 3:28 p.m. Dec. 16 to investigate.
Upon arrival, she saw six vehicles in the parking lot, and six patrons sitting at or near the bar, with what appeared to be alcoholic beverages in front of them.
While one of the patrons had a carryout food order in front of them, none of them were wearing masks, and the bartender’s mask was only covering her mouth, and not her nose.
The investigator ordered a beer, and was served, and was not asked if she wished to place a carryout order. While pretending to sip her beer, she took photos and video of what was going on inside the restaurant.
She heard the bartender offer one of the patrons another drink, and watched it being served, as other patrons continued to drink indoors at the bar.
When a patron told the bartending that they thought they were being filmed, the investigator, who had turned off their camera, denied doing so, then paid for their beer and left.
Shortly afterward, the investigator called Brooklyn’s owner, Rick Sherman, and he said that he was only serving people who were waiting for carryout orders. She told him that she was offered a drink without ordering food, in contradiction to what he said.
Sherman said, during the phone call, that no more patrons were in the establishment, which was belied by the presence of four vehicles still in the establishment’s parking lot.
It was noted that Brooklyn’s is subject to the MDHHS Dec. 7 gathering and face mask order, and that violating the orders poses an immediate threat to the health, safety and welfare of the public, and could result in an additional, significant outbreak of COVID-19.
At press time, the results of a Dec. 29 hearing before an administrative law judge, to determine whether the summary suspension should continue, and what fines and penalties should be imposed, had not yet been released.