GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A Grants Pass bar lost its liquor license temporarily over COVID-19 regulations.
The Oregon Liquor Control Commission cited Jammin Salmon for not following physical distancing and face covering rules. The OLCC says there were hundreds of people in and surrounding the building during a check and only about 10% of people were wearing facial coverings.
“When OLCC arrived on the scene that Jammin Salmon was more than packed to the gills. They had people spilling out their license premises onto the street nearby,” said OLCC Spokesperson, Mark Pettinger.
Jammin Salmon can still serve food for takeout or delivery, but is not allowed to sell any alcoholic beverages. That even includes if the alcohol is consumed off property. They also were cited for non-coronavirus regulations.
The business issued a statement late Wednesday night. It reads:
“The Jammin Salmon is part of an incredibly close, tight knit community that we care for deeply. We have an impeccable track record, and have never received any form of verbal or written warning, prior to this event. We take the health and safety of our community very seriously and have an unmatched designated driver program, including free tacos for keys, and paying for taxis. We honor the health and safety of our guests far beyond the closing of their check.
Though Covid guidelines are relatively new to the industry, we have done our very best to follow phase 2 guidelines from the moment of reopening. Including posting signs at each entrance, acknowledging our commitment to following the rules, and providing free masks to anyone in need.
We have taped off sections of our floor and removed seating to comply with social distancing guidelines. We check, and record the temperature of staff, prior to each shift and have replaced all silverware with prepackaged plastic ware. We have placed sanitizer at every station, and replaced our menus with hard plastic table toppers, sanitized between each guest.
These are not the actions of a business that disregards the COVID19 mandates, or the health and safety of its beloved patrons.
We are heartbroken at the abrupt suspension and will miss our people dearly.
The OLCC ‘s goal is to help establishments provide a safe and responsible environment for the service of alcohol. This is a goal we share. I am confident that with their help, we can find a way to resume service to this community as soon as possible.
Thank you,
The Jammin Salmon
GM”
The State says over 3,600 Oregon businesses have been inspected since July 4, 2020 regarding face covering and physical distancing requirements, more than 93% passed the inspection.
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