Lakeville, Princeton Bars Face Loss Of Liquor Licenses

TWIN CITIES, MN — Two Minnesota bars face a 60-day suspension of their liquor licenses for "blatantly violating" Executive Order 20-99, according to the Minnesota Department of Safety's alcohol enforcement division.

State officials say they have "documented evidence" that Alibi Drinkery in Lakeville and Neighbors on the Rum in Princeton opened for on-premises consumption of food and alcoholic beverages, "including police incident reports and media reports that showed large crowds at the bar."

The state is set to suspend their liquor licenses, pending a hearing before an administrative law judge. Further violations could result in losing their licenses for five years, officials said in a news release.

Under Gov. Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-99 — titled "Implementing a Four Week Dial Back on Certain Activities to Slow the Spread of COVID-19" — all restaurants and bars are banned from selling alcohol for on-premises consumption from Nov. 20 at 11:59 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 18 at 11:59 p.m.

A large coalition of businesses planned to open Wednesday to protest Walz's coronavirus restrictions. However, police say they visited several of these bars and restaurants and found them to be closed:

• Pizza Depot, Becker
• Andy’s Sports Bar, Red Wing
• Carbone’s, Cottage Grove
• Charley’s, Mankato

"Most bars and restaurants are playing by the rules and following the law. Those that have chosen not to comply are putting the health of the community at risk, and we will hold them accountable," Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington said in a statement.