Legend's Bar in Rochester ordered closed due to Covid health violations
Update on Nov. 13: The suspension has been lifted, though Legend’s agreed to remain closed until after it can consult with public health officials. In a news release, Olmsted County Public Health said “the owner plans to take significant action over the weekend and into next week to put active controls in place for COVID-19 protections and risk prevention.”
Update on Nov. 10: Olmsted County Public Health has suspended the food and beverage license of Legends Bar and Grill due to Covid-related health violations, officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
Recent imminent health and safety hazards have been documented and observed that directly place Legends’ employees and patrons at increased risk to COVID-19 exposure. Repeated violations of Governor Tim Walz’s Executive Order 20-74 and 20-81 have been documented including lack of physical distancing by staff and customers, lack of mask wearing by staff and customers, and violating the current occupancy requirement.
“Given the exponential growth of COVID-19 cases in and around Olmsted County, these violations are particularly alarming. Our Environmental Health staff conducted a thorough investigation and will work with Legends’ management to help them come into compliance and maintain compliance,” said Sagar Chowdury, Olmsted County Environmental Health Manager. “We owe it to our residents and businesses who are complying with the Governor’s Executive Order, to not allow willful violators to disregard or endanger the health of their employees, neighbors, and community members.”
Due to the violations, Legends will be required to close for a minimum of 72 hours. A placard noting the closure will be placed on the front door.
Public health officials said the business will be allowed to reopen once it demonstrates compliance of its Covid-19 Preparedness Plan.
Legend’s is the second Rochester business to be shut down over Covid related violations. The other, Dooley’s Pub, was allowed to reopen after coming into compliance with state health restrictions.
Original story: City tenants put on notice after video of crowded bar emerges online
After another video of big crowds and few masks surfaced from a downtown Rochester bar, the Rochester City Council voted to send a warning message to all of its leasees Monday — saying that any public health violation that occurs in one of its buildings could result in leases being terminated.
Council Member Nick Campion brought the measure to the council after seeing a video making the rounds on Facebook this past week.
“I was made aware of a video showing some completely unacceptable behavior taking place inside of establishments that are on city property,” said Campion. “I just want to reinforce that the city takes this incredibly seriously, and we expect our leaseholders to take it incredibly seriously, because many people in our community are suffering from this.”
While no council member specifically mentioned a business by name during discussion, the measure was — by all accounts — a response to a live video posted by Legends Bar and Grill on Facebook, showing a packed dance floor with minimal mask-wearing.
The video, recorded on Halloween, has since been deleted from Legends’ Facebook page, though screenshots continue to circulate online.
Council Member Michael Wojcik supported the motion, though he disagreed with Campion’s statement that the city takes violations “very seriously,” noting the amount of time it took the council to find out about this latest violation.
“We have law enforcement that goes through these businesses, every night, frequently,” said Wojcik. “It shouldn’t have taken us finding a Facebook video to know about this. I’m absolutely disappointed with our lackluster ability to shut down places that need to be shut down.”
Council President Randy Staver was the lone ‘nay’ vote, calling it ‘hearsay’ to punish a business without concrete evidence of wrongdoing. (It was unclear if Staver had seen the video before commenting.)
“This is a little disturbing to me,” said Staver. “I think for the city to essentially indict a business when you don’t know if other businesses around our community are operating in the same fashion... I am really alarmed at wanting to pass something like this, essentially single out a business, and perhaps shut them down.”
(Staver voted on the motion Monday despite having abstained from a previous decision involving Legends, citing a family connection.)
City Attorney Jason Loos told the council he was aware of the video and has had communication with the owner of the business. There is a clause in the city’s lease agreement with Legends that they must follow all local, state and federal laws, he said.
Legends is one of two businesses with a liquor license operating out of a city-owned building. The other, Dooley’s Pub, has had its own share of Covid-19 health violations in 2020.
New Restrictions on Bars
The city’s move comes as Minnesota’s Covid-19 cases spike to unprecedented rates across the state, leading Gov. Tim Walz to enact new restrictions on the state’s restaurants and bars.
Starting Friday, Nov. 13, all in-person restaurant/ bar service will stop at 10 p.m. on a nightly basis. Bar seating and counter service will be prohibited, and new limits will be placed on amusement games like pool and darts.
Private gatherings will also be limited to 10 or fewer people, with no more than three households present. Larger events like wedding receptions will be limited to a capacity of 50 people on Friday, before coming down to 25 on December 11 (weddings themselves, along with funerals and church gatherings are not affected by the latest set of restrictions).
“It is certainly not our intention to demonize any industry or any activity,” Walz said Tuesday. “It's simply important for us to understand what spreads this thing and who gets it and is more likely to spread it.”
The latest restrictions come as Minnesota continues to set new highs in cases of Covid-19. Public health officials worry the trends will only be exacerbated with winter coming and more people moving indoors.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Minnesota Medical Association applauded the governor’s decision to restrict large gatherings.
“The governor’s action will help slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and protect the health and lives of all Minnesotans,” the organization wrote. “We are seeing, firsthand, the rapid spike in COVID-19 cases. These are not just statistics, but rather these are our patients, health care professionals, our teachers, our family members, our fellow Minnesotans.”
In a sharp contrast, however, the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association, which represents many of Minnesota’s bars and restaurants, took exception to the new regulations — arguing the industry is being unfairly singled out.
“Bars and restaurants are only affiliated with 2 percent of [Covid-19] cases, but these new blanket rules across the state will cause more businesses to close, leaving more people unemployed and unable to support their families,” the statement reads. “We have yet to see real empirical data from state leaders showing how these regulations would help.”
Isaac Jahns is a Rochester native and a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He reports on politics, business and music for Med City Beat.
Cover image: screenshot from a live video from Legends Bar on Halloween weekend (the video has since been removed from the establishment’s page)
