St. Louis County orders restaurants to close because of coronavirus rule violations
Four St. Louis County bar and restaurants were ordered by the public health department to close on charges they violated coronavirus restrictions by continuing to serve customers indoors.
The county had ordered the bars and restaurants to stop indoor seating in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 as hospitals report they are running out of space to treat patients.
An order against a fifth restaurant is pending and will be issued if indoor dining and drinking continues there, the county said.
“The St. Louis County Department of Public Health, assisted by municipal and St. Louis County Police officers, moved to close five dining establishments that continued to violate a DPH health order to cease indoor dining,” the health department said in a news release on Tuesday.
Each business had been given three written warnings prior to Tuesday’s action.
Here are the four businesses served with the closure orders:
▪ Bartolino’s South at 5914 S. Lindbergh Blvd.
▪ Final Destination at 10660 St. Charles Rock Road
▪ O.T.’s Bar at 9212 St. Charles Rock Road
▪ Satchmo’s at 13375 Olive Blvd.
A fifth restaurant, Acapulco Restaurant and Lounge on St. Charles Rock Road, had received warnings but was not served with the order.
Fox 2 reported that a health department official had entered Acapulco but when he saw a Fox 2 camera there, he said he didn’t want to be on TV and left.
The health department said Acapulco will be ordered to close if it continues to serve customers inside.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that while officials were leaving O.T.’s Bar, the owner ripped off the closure notice that the health department had taped to her business’s door.
Each business has the right to ask for a hearing before the suspension becomes final, the county’s news release stated.
If any of the five establishments continue to violate the order by operating, the health department said it would seek a court order enforcing the closure.
