Crowds Dine Outdoors At Sports Bar, Defying County Ban

AGOURA HILLS, CA — Over 100 people rallied in support of Cronies Sports Grill Monday night, the local restaurant chain whose Agoura Hills location is defying the Los Angeles County ban on outdoor dining.

“The constitution does not go void when there is an epidemic or a pandemic,” owner Dave Foldes said to a cheering crowd, many of whom were packed close together under a tent enjoying beers, burgers, and fries. “I just want us to survive … we’re about common sense, and we’re about fairness.”

Foldes, who owns and operates five other locations in Simi Valley, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Ventura, and Thousand Oaks that have legally continued outdoor dining since they are located in Ventura County, told Patch that he is defying the ban because he finds it unjust.

“I’ve done everything I’m supposed to do and invested a ton of money in outdoor dining and all the experts say that outdoor dining is safe, and nobody has brought any evidence to say it isn’t, but if you go to the mall, you can buy furniture, you can buy jewelry, you can go to the Home Depot, you can go to Lowe’s and buy a rake or a leaf blower, so that’s unfair - why do I have to shut down and have my business fail and they don’t have to have theirs?” he said.

The rally was organized independently of Foldes to support his continuing outdoor dining despite a controversial Nov. 25 countywide ban. Since then, the restaurant has had its permit revoked, and been fined a total of $2,500, meaning they are prohibited from operating at all.

But there was no sign of that Monday night, as servers in face shields scurried around serving food to patrons, many not wearing masks and/or donning red Make America Great Again caps. A deputy from the Malibu-Lost Hills Station was briefly present, although the rally was allowed to continue.

In fact, Foldes said that some deputies came to the rally, only to get a to-go order. “We get a lot of support from the police - we’re not doing anything wrong,” he told Patch. “I guess it’s your right to protest.”

The Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station did not return Patch’s calls for comment.

But other authorities have not been so lenient. Foldes says he gets fined anywhere from $1,000 to $1,500 every two to three days. On Thursday the restaurant will head to court for a Revocation Hearing that will determine whether or not the restaurant’s permit will be permanently revoked.

Foldes said that the city of Agoura Hills has sent his restaurant letters threatening to turn off the restaurant’s utilities. The city has not answered Patch’s request to confirm this claim.

Mayor Illece Buckey Weber said that she finds the rally "concerning."

“It is concerning that a business in our community would defy a public health order endangering its employees and our residents,” she wrote in an email to Patch. “Everyone who was there last night should assume they were infected with the virus and start their quarantine period. The Department of Public Health, the City of Agoura Hills and Alcohol Beverage Control are taking action while affording the restaurant its due process rights under the law.”

On Saturday, Agoura Hills Councilmember Deborah Klein Lopez attempted to provide a neutral summary of events in a Facebook post, writing, “I understand that this is a heated debate in the news and on social media, but this post is to offer the factual status as of today. Any further comments below will address facts only.” Klein Lopez then reported that Cronies had chosen to stay open despite numerous warnings from the city and the health department, and will continue to face fines and a possible permanent shutdown.

The post garnered 70 shares and 508 comments, most of which were highly critical of Lopez and the city for what they felt was not taking a forceful enough stand against the county order.

“Stand up for the business in your community or give up your pay and benefits. If your not gonna help the people in your community get the hell out of the way and let someone who will,” one user wrote.

Another user, in a very small minority, stood up for Klein Lopez. “Whoa people on this thread are next level whack. Thanks for the factual post Deborah. Apparently people want to blame you instead of those who have been acting recklessly enough to to land us back in this position,” they wrote.

But at the rally, it seemed most attendees were firmly on the side of Cronies.

“I think it’s important that people stand up for their rights because we’re losing our liberties over something that doesn’t have a very high mortality rate - these small businesses are shutting down and they’re being faced with possibly losing their entire livelihood right now, and the destruction these shutdowns have caused far outweighs the destruction of actual COVID as far as the death rate,” said Amy Xanders of Westlake Village.

“It’s unjust, it’s uncalled for, and it’s causing so many people to lose their livelihood - mine is on the line right now - I have three kids at home. I haven’t even finished Christmas shopping and I don’t know how I’m going to,” said Michelle McLaren of Thousand Oaks, who was holding a "Recall Newsom" sign and works as a waitress at Cronies Newbury Park location.

McLaren said she is certain Ventura County will soon put forth a similar order. “All small businesses are being targeted - I’ve had so many friends that have lost jobs that work in salons, that work in hair jobs, and now restaurants, are obviously the target with no scientific evidence whatsoever, there’s literally no reason that people cannot dine out while we’re following all safety protocols.”

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