The restaurant's license is suspended indefinitely, for a minimum of 30 days.

A cafe in Castle Rock will have its business license suspended after a viral video showed it opening its doors on Sunday, violating the state's mandate to keep restaurants closed to the public.

C&C Breakfast and Korean Kitchen opened up to the public on Mother's Day, letting dozens of patrons dine inside without following social guidelines, including masks and the six-foot rule. The opening of the restaurant violated the public health orders of keeping restaurants closed during the safer-at-home phase ordered by Gov. Jared Polis.

The license suspension happened shortly after the Tri-County Health Department issued an order on Monday at 12:30 p.m. demanding the restaurant stays closed until the county health department decides if it's in compliance with the state's safer-at-home orders.

The Castle Rock Police Department stated an officer had reported to the Tri-County Health Department that the restaurant was planning to reopen. On Friday, Tri-County Health warned the restaurant's owner not to open the dining room and reminded them the business was only allowed to do takeout and delivery, according to their press release.

On Monday during his press briefing, Gov. Jared Polis said the cafe would be closed for at least 30 days. He stated the restaurant caused an immediate health hazard. “I joined most Coloradans in our frustration watching videos of people illegally packed into restaurants and thinking about all the moms and grandmothers and aunts and everyone who was put at increased risk of dying from this horrible virus,” Polis stated.

Additionally, he stated that businesses that decide to violate public health orders will delay reopening for the businesses that are following the orders in place to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“We’re walking a tightrope between protecting all of our health, and of course, trying to grow our economy. It’s hard enough to walk without folks shaking the rope, because of their own ideological or anti-scientific views, which they choose over the lives of our brothers and sisters,” Polis added.

On Sunday, Tri-County Health released the following statement:

"We are disappointed that Cookies and Crème has decided to ignore the Governor’s [safer-at-home] order and open up today with no attention to social distancing. This decision runs the risk of undermining the impact that other Douglas County businesses and residents have achieved over the last seven weeks by taking various social distancing measures. As the entity charged with enforcing the Governor’s statewide Safer at Home Public Health Order, we will follow up with this restaurant to ensure that they, like other restaurants in the county, take appropriate steps to protect the public health, by limiting service to curbside and take-out service."

Since the start of the statewide stay-at-home order, restaurants and bars have been closed to dining and have only been allowed to do delivery or curbside pickup.

Polis says the state will consider whether and how to reopen restaurants on May 25.

Maria-Emilia Garcia
Maria-Emilia is a Denver transplant from Puerto Rico who loves tea time, The Beatles, and any dog that crosses her path. When she isn't writing for OCN, she can be found on her YouTube channel, CineClub, talking about movies. If she isn't trying to complete a DIY project, she is binge-watching 'Friends' for the umpteenth time or exploring the art scene in Denver.
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