Stay-at-home crackdown: Arizona governor threatens liquor licenses

PHOENIX, Ariz. (KPNX/NBC News) – Arizona Governor Doug Ducey warned restaurant owners Wednesday they could lose their liquor licenses if they violate his “Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected, coronavirus order.

Many expected the order to be lifted on May 1st, but on Thursday Ducey extended the order until at least May 15th.

Larry Wendt, owner of the Buffalo Chip Saloon in Cave Creek said he’d planned to reopen Friday and was shocked by the extension.

“We had three employees here when he announced it, and they all cried,” Wendt said.

Since Ducey suspended restaurants from providing dine-in meals on March 19th, Wendt has furloughed most of his 121 staff members. He says the business takes $22,000 a day to run and that since he’s gone to take-out only he’s bringing in about $400 per day.

That’s why he considered defying the order, prior to the threat of losing his license.

“When you’re going to take my liquor license – without a hearing – you’ve put me out of business,” Wendt said. “You’ve ruined the chance of even selling something like this [restaurant] without a liquor license.”