St. Pete, Brandon Hamburger Mary's Restaurants To Close

BRANDON, FL -- The owner of Hamburger Mary's says negative publicity concerning a Hepatitis A scare at the Ybor City Hamburger Mary’s has prompted him to close his restaurants in St. Petersburg and Brandon as well.

Kurt King said the two eateries known for its burgers and drag queen shows will close by March 31.

King made the announcement Tuesday on Hamburger Mary's Facebook page, citing a reduction in business following the Oct. 25 announcement by the Florida Department of Health that an employee at the Ybor City restaurant had tested positive for hepatitis A.

“Mary has kept the Brandon and St. Petersburg restaurants open in hopes that, as the truth of the Health Department’s false accusations about the Ybor restaurants became known, business would return to its former levels," King told Facebook fans. "Unfortunately, business in both Brandon and St. Petersburg have remained suppressed to the point where it is no longer possible to keep the doors open.”

In October, the Department of Health in Hillsborough County issued a media alert announcing that an employee had tested positive for Hepatitis A and offering free vaccinations to customers who ate or drank at the Ybor City restaurant between Oct. 4 and 20.

According to the health department, 620 people received free vaccinations although there were no more cases of Hepatitis A linked to the restaurant.

Nevertheless, King said the negative publicity surrounding the Hepatitis A scare killed the business. He announced in November that he was closing the restaurant at restaurant at 1600 E. 7th Ave. after nine years in business.

"The latest challenge over the last couple of weeks has proven to be too much to overcome," said King.

See related stories:
620 Receive Hepatitis A Shots After Eating At Hamburger Mary's
Ybor City Hamburger Mary's Closes Following Hepatitis A Scare

Then, in January, King said he obtained a copy of the employee's test results that showed the health department had made a mistake and the employee had actually tested negative for Hepatitis A. He accused the Department of Health of targeting the restaurant because of its gay theme.

Dr. Douglas Holt, director of the Hillsborough County health department, denied the negative result and raised the ire of Tampa's LGBT community when he told ABC Action News: "If you’re going to fish, you need to go where the fish are. Half of (Hepatitis A patients) report having drug use. The others would be a mixture of homelessness and particular sexual activities. The classic category is men having sex with men.”

Those comments have become an issue in the Tampa mayoral race, with several candidates expressing outrage.

"I really mean that the mounting evidence that suggests a targeted attack on Hamburger Mary’s leaves me incensed," said candidate Topher Morrison.

Mayoral candidate and Tampa City Council member Mike Suarez called for Holt's removal from office.

"What he said is unconscionable,” said Suarez. “We should never make health a part of someone’s prejudice.”

While King said he appreciates the community leaders who have come to his defense, he said it's too late to salvage his two remaining restaurants.

The restaurant at 2016 Town Center Blvd. in Brandon opened just two years ago.

“It's cost me everything I own,” said King, a longtime Valrico resident. “I feel the health department did me wrong. And I think the community needs to wake up because they did us all wrong.”

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