Tri-Cities bar with suspended liquor license makes a deal with WA state

Koko’s Bartini in the Tri-Cities is again allowed to sell alcoholic drinks after defying a state mandate not to serve food and drink indoors under Washington state COVID restrictions.

But it still faces a liquor license suspension for a minimum of two weeks.

Its liquor license was suspended at the end of December for six months, but that order was revised after the Washington state Liquor and Cannabis Board and the Kennewick business reached a settlement agreement.

The board allowed Koko’s Bartini to resume selling alcohol Jan. 26, but not indoors while the Tri-Cities remains in Phase 1 of reopening. Outdoor dining and take out service is allowed in Phase 1.

However, the board also ordered a new 44-day suspension, with 30 days stayed if the bar and restaurant remains in compliance with the terms of its liquor license.

It’s liquor license is scheduled to be suspended Feb. 26 to March 12. It also must pay a $500 fine and not interfere with enforcement officers.

In exchange for the shortened suspension, Koko’s Bartini has agreed not to continue to challenge violation notices.

Koko’s defied order

Gov. Jay Inslee barred indoor food and drink service on Nov. 15 to help curb a surge in COVID-19 cases statewide.

Three days later the liquor board started receiving the first of more than 143 public complaints that Koko’s remained open for indoor dining.

Koko’s advertised its defiance of the state order as a “peaceful protest” and encouraged diners to bring protest signs when they visited.

The board issued a first notice of violation on Nov. 24, which carried a penalty of a five-day license suspension or a $500 fine.

Four agents who went to Koko’s when the notice of violation was served were followed by cars that had been parked at the business. The agents, who are routinely armed, were confronted when they stopped but drove off to avoid escalating the situation.

Two days earlier, more than a dozen people had used an electronic bullhorn to protest outside the Kennewick home of a liquor control officer after KoKo’s was served with a warning letter.

Speakers, including Joey Gibson, founder of the controversial activist group Patriot Prayer in Vancouver, Wash., called for the officer to come out and face protesters and to “stand down” from enforcing the governor’s order.

Koko’s resolved the issue of indoor service by setting up an outdoor eating area. But then it returned to indoor service in December.

Liquor license suspended

The business was served with a notice Dec. 29 that it had 24 hours to end indoor service or its liquor license would be suspended.

According to a liquor control officer’s investigation report, the notice was given to co-owner Dana Slovak at Koko’s, but he refused to sign it.

“So what. Who cares. I got employees to support and they have families,” the report quoted Slovak as saying. It described him as “aggravated, upset and resistive.”

As enforcement officers left the parking lot they were followed by cars, said the report.

Koko’s did not close and the liquor board ordered a temporary license suspension, which then was to be in force through June.

A day later Koko’s posted on social media that it would end indoor service from Jan. 1 to 11 at the request of its landlord. It planned to continue selling to-go orders. There was a possibility then that indoor service might be allowed in Benton County after Jan. 11, but the ban has yet to lift.

The business said before it ended indoor service in January that it was in danger of losing its lease if it remained open.

“Koko’s Bartini gave its best on the indoor dining situation,” it posted on social media. “I want to give a special thank you to ALL our customers that came from afar and here locally that supported Koko’s Bartini in these trying times.”

This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 5:22 PM.