These Are the 78 Denver Businesses Cited/Closed Over COVID-19 Orders

COVID-19 case numbers are improving across Denver, and one possible reason may be continued strict enforcement of orders related to the novel coronavirus by the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.

The DDPHE handed out citations for public-health-order violations to 78 businesses in the Mile High City from August 1 to August 17, the most recent date for which information is available, and six businesses were closed for allegedly making repeated missteps.

Included among the latter is Williams Tavern, the lounge area of the Nativ Hotel, and a Fast Performance gym.

No one should have been surprised by the agency's crackdown. On July 31, the DDPHE issued a release titled "Denver Steps Up its Enforcement of Public Health Orders," which revealed that "investigators and Sheriff deputies are now teamed up to monitor compliance of the health orders and to enforce the rules. The teams will also pay extra attention to evening hours and weekends."

The notice added: "The city will focus on reinforcing the responsibility of businesses to monitor for compliance of the order — not just amongst their staff but also customers. Enforcement teams could also cite individuals. Teams will look at the widespread use of face coverings, posting of required signage, proper social distancing, the maximum capacity of businesses, and abiding by the state’s new last call rule. Businesses can get a ticket if more than 10 percent of their customers are not wearing face coverings or if employees are not wearing them."

On August 4, we reported on the first businesses ticketed or closed for COVID-19 order violations — twenty cited and five shut down between July 31 and August 2. The DDPHE's latest list repeats the August 1-2 actions, but adds dozens of others, with descriptions displaying much greater specificity than previously. For instance, the notation for El Tejado Denver, 2651 South Broadway, states that four out of five employees weren't wearing facial coverings when inspectors arrived. And there's a certain air of exasperation in the notation for an August 17 ticket given to Enzo's End Pizzeria, at 3432 East Colfax Avenue: "Owner without face covering, again."

There are also several citations for serving alcohol after 10 p.m. — but doing so may not be a violation much longer. Governor Jared Polis's July 21 temporary order instituting a 10 p.m. last call expired on August 20, and 9News is reporting that a replacement edict expected to be announced later today, August 21, will extend the cut-off by one hour, to 11 p.m.

According to the DDPHE, enforcement activity under the state's current "Safer at Home" order has resulted in 15,157 contacts to date, with 1,741 concerning "mask-related contacts only." A total of 13,439 warnings have been given, 1,489 of them keyed to mask-wearing. The citation total stands at 115, while the agency has delivered thirteen closure placards.

Here is the agency's general-violations summary for August 1-17; the underlined entries represent businesses that have been closed.

1. 8/17: Wendy's 2096 (515 S. Broadway) — 4 out of 7 employees not wearing face coverings and no social distancing in the dining room.

2. 8/17: Sunnyside Floral ( 2709 W. 38th Ave) — employee not wearing face covering.

3. 8/17: El Tejado Denver (2651 S. Broadway) — 4 out of 5 employees not wearing face coverings.

4. 8/16: The District (1320 E. 17th Ave) — 4 employees w/o masks

5. 8/16: Okinawa Japanese Cuisine (3927 Tennyson St) — One employee without mask

6. 8/16: Moonlight Diner (6250 Tower Rd) — 3 employees w/o masks

7. 8/15: Dog Haus Biergarten (8416 Northfield Blvd) — Sale of alcohol after 10 p.m.

8. 8/15: Enzo’s End Pizzeria (3432 E. Colfax Ave) — Owner without face covering, again.

9. 8/15: Historians (24 Broadway) — 2 employees without masks

10. 8/15: The Pioneer (2401 S. University) — Tables outside not adequately spaced/capacity concerns.

11. 8/15: Catfish Haven (4650 Tower Rd 108) — 2 employees and a DJ not wearing face coverings properly

12. 8/15: Daughter Thai Kitchen and Bar (1700 Platte St #140) — 2 of 6 kitchen employees without face coverings (this citation was later rescinded).

13. 8/15: Puerto Vallarta Sports Bar (27 Federal Blvd) — 4 employees without masks on within 6 ft of one another

14. 8/15: Texas de Brazil (8390 Northfield Blvd) — One employee without mask; several not worn properly

15. 8/14: Diamond Cabaret (1222 Glenarm) — Issued for customers less than 25 feet from dancers and previous orders/GV issued on 8/5

16. 8/14: Nativ Hotel (1612 Wazee) — Patrons in parties larger than 8 mingling and not social distancing. Previous orders/GV issued on 8/7

17. 8/14: Rio Grande (1525 Blake St) —12 patrons mingling among two tables on front patio; no social distancing.

18. 8/14: Jamaican Jerk and Barbecue Restaurant (4611 Peoria St) — Chef without mask while working in kitchen.

19. 8/13: Brothers Bar and Grill (8270 E. Northfield Blvd) — An employee in the kitchen had their mask below their chin. Another employee with mask below nose.

20. 8/13: Enzo’s End Pizzeria (3424 E. Colfax Ave) — 4 out of 4 employees without face coverings.

21. 8/13: 7-Eleven (3990 E. 35th Ave) — An employee observed having their mask below their chin while stocking behind counter.

22. 8/12: Ed Prather Real Estate (1633 Fillmore St) — ticketed for 3 out of 3 employees not wearing face coverings.

23. 8/12: Fast Performance (4650 Leyden St) — ticketed, placard, and closure for owner and 9 out of 10 patrons not wearing face coverings while all working out in a single room. Facility previously ticketed on 8/10 for employees not wearing face coverings.

24. 8/11: Fitness in the City (1212 Delaware St) — ticketed for 7 patrons and 2 employees working out in a group class with no face coverings.

25. 8/11: E3 gym (1165 S. Broadway) — ticketed for 2 employees not wearing face masks, 1 employee not properly wearing a face mask, 4-5 patrons not properly wearing face coverings, and 7 customers working out within less than 6 feet distancing.

26. 8/10: Epic Ryde (2823 Larimer St) — ticketed for 8 out of 8 guests and instructor not wearing masks while working out.

27. 8/10: FAST performance (4650 Leyden St) — ticketed for 3 employees not wearing face coverings.

28. 8/10: Las Islitas (1550 S. Federal Blvd unit A) — ticketed for 7 out of 12 employees not properly wearing face coverings.

29. 8/9: JD’s Bar (201 W. 48th Ave) — ticketed for two employee not wearing face coverings.

30. 8/9: Hob Nob events “Pearl St Market” (1400 S. Pearl St) — ticketed for multiple vendors not masked and event coordinator not wearing mask.

31. 8/9: WABI Dance Studio (490 S. Santa Fe Dr) — ticketed for instructor and dancers not wearing face masks while indoors.

32. 8/9: Restaurant Depot (1740 W. 13th) — ticketed for multiple employees not properly wearing face coverings while near each other.

33. 8/8: Reiver's Bar and Grill (1085 S. Gaylord St) — ticketed for employee not wearing a face covering.

34. 8/8: Puerto Vallarta Sports Bar (27 Federal Blvd) — ticketed for patrons at tables less than 6 feet apart, patrons sitting at bars, and performers within 6 feet of patrons.

35. 8/8: Tetra (3039 Walnut St) – ticketed, placard, and closure for violations of on-site consumption of smoking products, and facility did not correct orders and GV previously issued on 7/31.

36. 8/8: W. T Shorty’s Sports Grill (990 S. Oneida St) — ticketed for 2 employees not wearing face coverings in the kitchen.

37. 8/8: Capitol Hill Liquor (1032 E. 9th Ave) — ticketed for employee not wearing a face covering while helping patron.

38. 8/7: Williams Tavern (423 E. 17th Ave) – ticketed, placard, and closure for sale of alcohol after 10 p.m. No access to food after 10 p.m., patrons order drinks from bar where drinks are prepared. Patrons mingling, no social distancing, and little face covering compliance.

39. 8/7: Nativ Hotel (1612 Wazee St) — ticketed for one employee not wearing a face covering and mingling.

40. 8/7: Arby’s (8850 E. Hampden Ave) — ticketed for one employee not wearing mask and another employee not properly wearing a mask.

41. 8/7: McDonald's (505 E. Colfax Ave) –- ticketed for 4 out of 8 employees not properly wearing face masks.

42. 8/7: Pynergy Petroleum Co; Phillips 66 (4001 Colorado Blvd) — ticketed for employee not wearing a face covering.

43. 8/7: Pizza and Grill (990 N. Lincoln St) — ticketed for 2 out of the 4 employees not properly wearing masks.

44. 8/7: Big Bear Ice Rink (8580 Lowry Blvd) — ticketed for staff and patron not wearing face coverings indoors during follow up visit.

45. 8/6: Alpine Buick GMC (8120 W Tufts Ave) — ticketed for multiple employees not wearing face coverings.

46. 8/6: Jimmy’s Jersey St Cafe (1184 S. Quincy Way) — ticketed for multiple employees not properly wearing face coverings.

47. 8/6: Elite Services, LLC (4860 Pecos St) — ticketed for employee not wearing face masks while helping patrons.

48. 8/6: Grease Monkey (9640 E. Alameda Ave) –— ticketed for 3 employees not wearing face masks while indoors.

49. 8/6: e3 Fitness (1165 S. Broadway) — ticketed for employee and two patrons not wearing face coverings in the gym.

50. 8/5: Denver Swim Club (6923 E. Colfax Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering and PHO order

51. 8/5: Palma Cigar Bar (2207 Larimer Street) — ticketed for violation of PHO.

52. 8/5: Big Bear Ice Rink (8580 Lowry Blvd) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees.

53. 8/5: Bikram Yoga (2601 W. Front View Crescent Dr #100A) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee and patrons.

54. 8/5: Viva Burrito (6990 Leetsdale Dr) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees.

55. 8/5: Diamond Cabaret (1222 Glenarm Place) — ticketed for violation of the PHO.

56. 8/4: 7-Eleven (2299 W. Alameda Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee

57. 8/4: McDonald's (3996 E Evans Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees.

58. 8/4: Family Dollar (1515 W. 48th Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee.

59. 8/4: Burger King (1010 W. Colfax Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees.

60. 8/4: 7-Eleven (303 N. Santa Fe Dr) -– ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee.

61. 8/3: Recovery Monitoring Solutions (2425 S. Colorado Blvd) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees

62. 8/3: Torchy's Tacos (6325 E. Hampden Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees

63. 8/3: Spanky's Roadhouse (1800 E. Evans Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees

64. 8/3: Urban Sombrero (16221 E. 40th Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee.

65. 8/3: Jerusalem's Restaurant (1890 E. Evans Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees.

66. 8/2: Welcome Inn (3659 Chestnut Pl) – ticketed, closure, and placard for violation of PHO and face covering order, including sale of alcohol after 10 p.m.

67. 8/2: The Retro Room (2034 Larimer St) — ticketed for violation of PHO observed on 8/1

68. 8/2: Pedal Hopper (2265 Lawrence St) — ticketed for violation of PHO, previously ordered to not operate.

69. 8/2: Homegrown Tap and Dough (1001 S. Gaylord St.) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees.

70. 8/2: Mecca Tavern (815 Federal Blvd) — ticketed for violation of PHO, patrons sitting at bar w/o 6 feet between parties.

71. 8/1: AT&T (1501 S. Colorado Blvd) -– ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee.

72. 8/1: Stranahan's Whiskey (200 S. Kalamath St) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employees.

73. 8/1: Family Dollar (4701 Peoria St) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee

74. 8/1: 7-Eleven (380 E. 17th St) — ticketed for violation of face covering order by employee. 2nd GV

75. 8/1: Salon Ocampo (1733 W Mississippi Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering order and PHO

76. 8/1: Your Mom's House (608 E. 13th Ave) –ticketed, placards, and closure for violation of PHO and Face covering order.

77. 8/1: Urban Sombrero (16221 E. 40th Ave) — ticketed for violations of face covering order by employees.

78. 8/1: The Squeeze (5395 48th Ave) — ticketed for violation of face covering by employee.