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The Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill has become ground central in the latest challenge to California officials heavy-handed response to COVID-19, as business owners in many parts of America find themselves in the unenviable position of having to fight city hall just to open their doors and make a living.
Located in Burbank, the establishment was cordoned off by city officials on Saturday, with a chain-link fence being placed around the business after the owners repeatedly defied pandemic-related restrictions in place.
The fence is intended to prevent the owners from reopening with unsafe conditions due to a court-approved shutoff of electricity and a preliminary injunction granted to prevent the restaurant from operating without a County Health Permit and City Conditional Use Permit, NBC Los Angeles reported, citing Burbank police Lt. Derek Green.
Lucas Lepejian, 20, operates the business for his father, who lives in Thailand. He has been arrested three times this month, twice for violating a court order and on Tuesday for removing sandbags placed in front of his restaurant — which the local CBS affiliate characterized as “altering efforts the city has implemented to prevent entry into the establishment, due to the unsafe conditions and to be compliant with the city’s safety codes.”
@adamcarolla @markgeragos they have now fenced off Tinhorn Flats pic.twitter.com/2t5Mu6zphu
— Izzy Presley (@realizzypresley) April 10, 2021