NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Metro Public Health Department, along with Metro Police, issued a closure order to Full Throttle Bar and Grill on Sunday for violation of one of Mayor John Cooper's orders.
The Health Department says, as a limited-service restaurant, Full Throttle was supposed to remain closed until July 31. Limited-service, meaning they typically serve more alcohol than they do food.
City health officials visited the restaurant on Friday and gave owners Gary and Becca McIntosh a warning.
“I told them I wasn’t doing it,” said Gary.
A quick signature from a judge and a few days later health officials returned with a warrant saying the business had to be closed.
In a Facebook post, Full Throttle says they have complied with health guidelines. They also included a video of city officials delivering the closure order.
There was far more that could’ve been said in the video, but Gary says he was doing his best to keep it together. Gary tells us that before this weekend, he never got a notice from Metro Public Health on having to close down.
He says he only refused to close on Friday after seeing so many other businesses remain open with little regard for the safety measures he and his wife take seriously.
“I just don’t understand why I’m a target and there are no other places around here having this problem,” said Gary.
Becca says since the county moved back into Phase 2, they’ve done what’s required of them to protect customers.
“We went back to our Phase 2 that we did before. Added masks to our employees. We do a daily sanitation where we wipe down everything in this bar,” said Becca.
They say they did it all only to end up exactly where they did not want to be - with thousands of dollars on the line and jobs hanging in the balance.
This is the second time during the pandemic, they’ve had to close their doors. For a business that just began operating in February with all the proper licenses, Gary says they’ve only been serving for over a month.
Gary’s biggest concern is the employees he says often work day-to-day, with whatever they make in tips going toward bills and kids.
Wednesday, Becca and Gary will attend a court hearing to say their peace and convince a judge to allow them to remain open.
