Off Key Tikki Bar Loses Liquor License

PACHOGUE, NY— Off Key Tikki, a bar in Patchogue, lost its liquor license Saturday after being cited by the New York State Liquor Authority for violating social distancing rules.

According to a Facebook post by owner Mike Bruemmer, the beach-themed party spot was visited regularly by the state licensing authority.

"On Saturday heavily armed police came down to Off Key Tikki to take away our liquor license—their reasoning being that they witnessed people standing in our establishment without masks.

"Off Key Tikki has been in compliance with [state] laws and mandates all throughout Covid. We have complied with masks, appropriate signage, hired extra guards to be able to enforce these rules, modified our menu to have food with drinks, hand sanitizers installed throughout the establishment and so on," he wrote on Tuesday.

Off Key Tikki will stay open, serving food and virgin drinks, Bruemmer announced.

"I'm certain that if the state went to every bar every other day as they have been doing here, that every restaurant would be in the exact same violation," he said.

A GoFundMe established by Bruemmer is asking for donations from the community for legal fees and to help keep 25 employees on staff.

Neighboring bayfront bar Dublin Deck was cited in May for violating indoor dining and drinking bans but evaded losing its liquor license.