UPDATE: 2 Tri-Cities businesses given 24 hours to close or have liquor licenses suspended
Two Tri-Cities bars were told Tuesday that they must comply with Washington state COVID pandemic restrictions or face a 180-day suspension of their liquor licenses.
Koko’s Bartini in Kennewick and Kimo’s Sports Bar and Brew Pub in Richland both have continued to serve food and drink indoors after the state banned indoor service until at least Jan. 11. The ban, which started in mid November, has already been extended twice as COVID cases across the state have increased.
On Tuesday, the Washington state Liquor and Cannabis Board voted to suspend liquor licenses for each business if they did not stop indoor service within 24 hours, according to Julie Graham, a spokeswoman for the board. The businesses were notified of the decision Tuesday afternoon.
The board often begins the process for a permanent suspension if businesses do not comply with licensing requirements after an 180-day suspension is imposed.
Kimo’s posted on social media Tuesday evening that it would be closed from Wednesday, Dec. 30, until further notice.
“More details coming soon,” it posted on Facebook. It is not clear whether the closure affects takeout or delivery service.
Koko’s Bartini posted on social media Tuesday night that the Liquor and Cannabis Board was “harassing Koko’s with pulling their liquor license” along with a photo of the board’s legal complaint against it.
It also asked for support and posted a link to its fundraiser to pay its legal fees.
But it did not immediately say whether it planned to halt indoor service on Wednesday to avoid a liquor license suspension.
The complaint from the Washington state Liquor and Cannabis Board said Koko’s was serving indoors on Dec. 22, posing a threat to public safety and in violation of Gov. Jay Inslee’s restrictions on indoor service.
Within an hour of the post, more than 150 comments were added, most supporting the business and angry about the statewide restrictions.
Kimo’s also drew dozens of comments on its Facebook page, including comments calling for Kimo’s to make the names of state liquor board employees public.
“Let’s publish all the commie bastards names. Let’s protest at their homes! Let’s tell them that we are not they’re useful idiots!” one person posted.
On Nov. 22 the founder of a far-right activist group, Joey Gibson of Patriot Prayer, led a noisy demonstration outside the Kennewick home of a Tri-Cities liquor license officer.
Earlier, Koko’s Bartini had received a written warning and then a notice of violation and chose to end indoor service.
It added an outdoor tented area for sit-down food and cocktails, as allowed by state COVID protection restrictions. But then it began indoor service again.
In total it has received several verbal warnings, a written warning and then a notice from the Liquor and Cannabis Board that it was in violation of a ban on indoor service, Graham said.
The board has received at least 143 complaints alleging COVID-19 violations at Koko’s Bartini from Nov. 18 to Dec. 22. The board has an online form for the public to submit complaints.
Kimo’s Sports Bar and Brew Pub in Richland also was served with a notice of violation earlier this month for continuing to serve customers indoors.
The notice of violation gave a choice of either a $500 fine or a five-day liquor license suspension.
In total it has received three verbal and two written notices of violations related to indoor service since the most recent state ban, Graham said.
The Liquor and Cannabis Board has received at least 57 complaints alleging COVID-19 violations at Kimo’s since Nov. 1.
Kimo’s had vowed to fight a legal battle to continue indoor food and drink service. It said offering only takeout, delivery and outdoor dining in the current cold weather were not a legitimate way of doing business.
Earlier this week, Kimo’s was packed for indoor dining and drinking with every seat taken.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 8:50 PM.