A specialty burger shop may become the first restaurant to lose its liquor license due to repeated violations of Washington, D.C.’s vaccine mandate.
The violation, the latest in a series of transgressions by the Big Board, caused the restaurant to be “drafted for ABC Board review,” meaning an investigative report will be submitted to the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration for a hearing on Wednesday, when the board will determine enforcement action, ABRA spokesman Jared Powell told the Washington Examiner on Tuesday. These penalties can include additional monetary fines or the suspension of the restaurant’s liquor license.
Within the first week after Mayor Muriel Bowser’s vaccine mandate went into effect on Jan. 15, the district’s Big Board racked up a number of verbal and written warnings, as well as hefty fines, for not requiring patrons to show proof of vaccination before entering.
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Big Board was the first business to receive a warning of any kind under the newly imposed vaccine mandate, which requires indoor establishments such as bars, restaurants, gyms, and theaters to verify patrons’ vaccination statuses and matching identification.
The H Street restaurant received a verbal warning, a written warning, and a $1,000 fine, all between Jan. 14 and Jan. 18, for the violation of staff not wearing masks, according to data from ABRA. It faced the same punitive measures for the separate transgressions of refusing to verify proof of vaccination as a prerequisite for entry and required signage not being posted. The violations led officials to draft the case for an Alcoholic Beverage Control Board review on Saturday, with the initial hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
Under the mandate, businesses first receive a verbal and then a written warning for any particular transgression before facing fines. The first fine is a $1,000 citation, which can increase for additional infractions. After that, a fifth violation requires the establishment to appear before the city liquor board.
The restaurant signaled it was aware of the impending action before receiving the notice.
“We would like to sincerely thank all of the people who have continued to come out to our small veteran and family owned restaurant at the corner of 5 & H NE,” the business tweeted on Saturday, the same day it received the notice. “Nothing has changed since our last tweet. All are welcome…we are open until midnight tonight.”
We would like to sincerely thank all of the people who have continued to come out to our small veteran and family owned restaurant at the corner of 5 & H NE
Nothing has changed since our last tweet.
All are welcome…we are open until midnight tonight.
— The Big Board (@thebigboarddc) January 22, 2022
Before the mandate went into effect, the Big Board indicated it would not comply, posting on Twitter that “everyone is welcome.”
“This rule applies yesterday, today and tomorrow,” the pub tweeted on Jan. 13, two days before the mandate began. “Hopefully we’ll see you January 16th.”
As has always been the case for us, everyone is welcome. This rule applies yesterday, today and tomorrow. Hopefully we’ll see you January 16th.
— The Big Board (@thebigboarddc) January 13, 2022
The restaurant’s actions garnered support from some corners. Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, tweeted in support of the Big Board on Sunday, referring to the mandate as “tyranny.”
“While The Big Board fights tyranny – how many of the @HouseGOP & @SenateGOP are showing their papers to go to their precious Capitol Hill Club to eat?” Roy tweeted.
Additionally, a GoFundMe in support of the establishment set up on Thursday has raised $13,365, almost reaching its $15,000 goal.
A handful of other establishments have received warnings for violating Washington’s vaccine mandate, including Pearl Dive Oyster Palace, Red Lounge, Empire Lounge, and Junction Bistro, Bar, & Bakery.
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Although the Big Board will appear before ABRA on Wednesday in a closed-door meeting to receive any further punishments, the pub can continue operating in the interim.
The Big Board did not respond to a request for comment from the Washington Examiner.
