Three Queens businesses lose liquor licenses over COVID-19 parties
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | JULY 24-JULY 30, 2020 11
ders home for consumption.
“We said outdoor
dining was allowed,
and we facilitated that
to restaurants,” Cuomo
said. “We didn’t authorize
outside drinking.
The bars took this outdoor
dining as an opportunity
to do outdoor
drinking, but that’s not
what the regulations intended,
and this is now
a significant problem.”
Bars remain offlimits
to customers as
the state continues to
deal with the pandemic.
Of the 66,000 COVID-19
tests conducted in New
York on July 20, Cuomo
reported that the positive
rate came back at
about 1.2%.
Moreover, just two
people statewide died of
COVID-19 on Monday —
the smallest total since
the first reported virus
death was reported back
on March 14.
Cuomo, however, reminded
that the threat
of a COVID-19 resurgence
remains in place
due to the growing
number of infections
nationwide. He added
ten more states Tuesday
to New York’s quarantine
list in which
travelers from those
states must quarantine
for two weeks. Now, 41
of 49 states are on New
York’s list.
“If the other parts of
this country don’t get
the infection rate under
control, it will come
back here,” Cuomo said.
“That will happen.
We’ve learned that lesson.
It’s not a maybe.”
With additional reporting
by Angélica
Acevedo.
Reach reporter Robert
Pozarycki by e-mail
at rpozarycki@qns.com
or by phone at (718) 260-
4549.
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
They flouted the law,
and the law won.
Three Queens businesses
lost their liquor
licenses Tuesday at the
order of Governor Andrew
Cuomo for welcoming
throngs of partygoers
over the weekend in
spite of COVID-19 crowd
restrictions.
Two of the three affected
businesses are
in Astoria: Brik Bar at
32-16 Steinway St. and
M.I.A. at 27-35 21st St.
The neighborhood was
one of several New York
City hotspots for street
parties held during the
weekend of July 17-19.
A fourth business
on Long Island, the Secrets
Gentlemen’s Club
in Deer Park, also had
its liquor license pulled
for similar issues.
Both Astoria clubs,
and Maspeth Pizza
House at 59-60 55th Road
in Maspeth, had their
liquor licenses indefinitely
suspended by the
State Liquor Authority
(SLA) on July 21. Each
business, Cuomo said,
had taken advantage
of outdoor dining rules
during the COVID-19
pandemic, serving alcohol
to large numbers of
congregants gathered
there.
“I’m sorry it’s come
to this but it’s a dangerous
situation and
I’ve said it many many
times,” the governor
said during a Tuesday
conference call with the
press. “The bad operators
will make it worse
for themselves and for
the good operators. I’ve
spoken to many operators
who are doing the
right thing and playing
by the rules. It’s unfortunate
the good get penalized
for the actions
of the bad.”
The SLA did not immediately
respond for
further information
about the suspensions.
According to City
Councilman Costa Constantinides,
MIA had
racked up 81 calls to 311
about disorderly conduct
dating back to July
2019. More recently, in
June, shots were reportedly
fired outside the location
along with other
“violent incidents.”
“I take no joy in
this, as many bars and
restaurants have struggled
over the last four
months and deserve to
make a livelihood while
keeping everyone safe.
Bad actors have to be
held accountable, however,
which is I asked the
SLA last week to revoke
MIA’s liquor license,”
Constantinides said.
“My office received call
after call about their
unsafe actions. We cannot
have people flaunt
the laws, endanger the
public, and risk ruining
the reopening for those
who have followed the
rules. I’m glad to see
the Governor heard
our call and acted to
root out those who don’t
want to be a community
partner.”
When reached for
comment, an employee
for Brik bar and lounge
hung up the phone immediately.
MIA’s contact
went straight to voicemail;
we are awaiting
a response to an email
inquiry. Additionally,
a Maspeth Pizza employee,
who responded
to our phone call, said
someone would reply
later.
Cuomo said there
seemed to be a “disconnect”
among a number
of bar owners in New
York who believed the
expansion of outdoor
dining for restaurants
gave them the ability to
set up a similar operation
at their shuttered
taverns.
New York State liquor
licenses cover bars
and restaurants equally;
other states have
separate liquor licenses
and related conditions
for these establishments.
But Cuomo said
that the easing of outdoor
dining rules was
not an authorization of
bars reopening for customers
and permitting
drinking outside.
During the COVID-
19 pandemic, bars were
allowed to continue
selling alcoholic beverages
to patrons who
could pick them up outside
the establishment.
However, the bars are
not allowed to let the patrons
drink there or on
the street; the patrons
had to bring their or-
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