County says close, owner says no, customers support Eat at Joe’s in Redondo Beach
Eat at Joe’s Alex Jordan pokes fun at Governor Gavin Newsom by hanging a French Laundry sign. He has defied the County health order banning outdoor dining. Photo by Donny Morrison
[Updated] Shortly after lunchtime, Tuesday, inspectors from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health showed up at Eat at Joe’s and issued an order to owner Alex Jordan to stop serving customers on his outdoor patio. Last Wednesday the County banned restaurants from serving outdoors for three weeks.
Jordan has ignored the ban, and said he plans to continue ignoring the ban, despite the county officials threatening to fine him, and suspend his health department permit.
“Threaten, fine or suspend. That’s all they can do,” Jordan said after the county officials left. “I don’t know how long we can stay strong, depending on what the threats are. If they just fine me, to a certain level I’m fine with that. I can see it through. But if they pull my health department p ermit it will be very difficult to operate.”
“In March we closed down because they told us to close down,”Jordan said. “But I had less fear then because my employees were getting unemployment. Now that’s not the case and that’s the reason I’m not shutting down.”
Longtime Redondo Beach community activist Victoria Page-Schmalz and son Nick Durslag said they had breakfast at Eat at Joe’s Wednesday morning to show their support for the restaurant. Photo
Jordan said he had 25 employees before the pandemic. In March, when restaurants were ordered to close, he laid off everyone, including himself. After receiving a Federal Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) loan he was able to bring back 11 employees, but the PPP money was quickly exhausted. Last May, when outdoor dining was allowed, Jordan said he spent thousands of dollars on patio dining equipment, including tents and plexiglass to protect workers.
“I’m not a rebel by nature. I don’t want to go against science,” Jordan said. “But without outdoor dining I will have to lay off all 11 of my employees before the holidays.”
Jordan told his employees last week that there would be no punishment for missing work if they didn’t feel safe working during the pandemic. He said all 11 wanted to keep working.
“Outdoor dining is not any more dangerous than going to the gym,” Jordan said. “And the gym isn’t closed and non essential retail isn’t closed.”
Customers have been supportive and there’s been an atmosphere of protest among patrons, according to Jordan.
“I would say today was probably the busiest Tuesday I’ve had all year,” Jordan said.
Lunchtime Thursday, customers were lining up to eat at Eat at Joe’s. Photo
Rocky Liuzzi has been dining at Eat at Joe’s for the better part of 50 years. He ate outside Tuesday morning and said he never felt unsafe.
“I feel they should be open,” Liuzzi said. “Especially because they are doing everything safely.”
Like Jordan, Liuzzi didn’t think shutting down outdoor dining made sense when businesses such as gyms and grocery stores remain open at reduced capacity.
“These are not only businesses, but people’s lives and families,” Liuzzi said. “They all need to be fed. They all need to survive and people are having a hard time.”
Jordan cited the lower numbers of positive coronavirus cases in the Beach Cities as the main reason he doesn’t believe in an outdoor dining ban in Redondo Beach.
“The numbers in the South Bay are not nearly as bad as other parts of LA County, but it doesn’t matter. They treat us all the same.”
The City of Redondo has taken a hands-off approach to enforcement of County health orders.
Redondo Beach City Attorney Mike Webb said Tuesday, the city does not enforce the county’s health orders, but does pass complaints on to the county.
“It’s their order, they’re enforcing it,” Webb said. “We are passing along information to make certain that they’re aware of any complaints regarding businesses violating the order.”
“The county’s approach has been education first, but if you have someone who keeps returning to, say the Esplanade, when it is closed, they will issue a citation, or will try and get cooperation,” Webb said.
Redondo Police Chief Keith Kauffman said Tuesday, “I’ve asked my officers to educate and inform rather than become the front line of enforcement for the County.”
On Wednesday, Kaufman said the county inspectors requested Redondo Beach police to be present when they issued the closure order to Eat at Joe’s.
“Officers responded and kept the peace while the order was served without issue,” Kauffman said.
“If I have to go to court I will,” Jordan said. “I kind of feel like I’m on the moral high ground a little bit. So the fear of it is not as great as if I was being sneaky and undercover. But it still keeps me awake at night.” ER