Restaurant’s License Suspended After Opening For Mother’s Day During COVID-19 Shutdown

A Castle Rock restaurant reopened its doors to full dine-in service May 10, allowing dozens of customers inside despite public health orders put in place in March because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

C&C Coffee and Kitchen, a breakfast and Korean kitchen at 4284 Trail Boss Drive, had a line out the door about 10 a.m. Mother’s Day. Families of all sizes filed in past a “bouncer” with a visible sidearm. Every seat was taken as folks dined in. The floor was packed with people standing, waiting for coffee or take-out orders. One person could be seen wearing a mask inside the building.

“I expected it to be busy. I never expected this,” owner April Arellano said. “I’m so happy so many people came out to support the Constitution and stand up for what is right. We did our time. We did our two weeks. We did more than two weeks…and we were failing. We had to do something.”

The Tri-County Health Department says it received four complaints about the reopening. The Denver Post reports the restaurant has now lost its license to operate.

State health officials on Monday suspended the license of a Castle Rock restaurant that opened to large Mother’s Day crowds, a warning to other Colorado eateries that might also consider defying the statewide public health order that limits restaurants to take-out and delivery services.

C&C Coffee and Kitchen presents an “immediate health hazard,” Gov. Jared Polis said at a news conference, and its business license will be suspended until it no longer creates a threat to public health — likely for at least 30 days.