SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – A bar in Spokane Valley that operated in defiance of Washington state's COVID-19 restrictions is closing its doors, at least temporarily, after facing a suspension of its liquor license.
The Black Diamond announced in a Facebook post on Dec. 15 that it would reopen for indoor dining, which is banned through at least Jan. 11 in Washington state.
The bar first received widespread attention when it remained open in May during a statewide stay-home order after receiving a violation notice from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB).
Julie Graham, a spokesperson for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, confirmed that the agency issued a 180-day suspension of The Black Diamond's liquor license on Tuesday, Dec. 29. The Board gave the bar 24 hours to choose if they would comply with the state's COVID-19 rules and, if they did not, the suspension would then take effect, Graham said.
It appears that the bar has chosen to shut down as of Thursday, Graham said, and it can avoid the suspension becoming active if it remains closed or open following the state's rules.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, The Black Diamond wrote that it would close at 5 p.m. on New Year's Eve so its staff could ring in the new year and "pray that Inslee's heart grows three sizes." It is unclear from the Facebook post if the bar is closing until statewide restrictions are lifted.
The business also thanked customers for their support over the past few weeks in a video posted on Facebook.
KREM has reached out to the bar for more information but has not received a response.
The threat of a liquor license suspension is not the first penalty that the bar has faced from state regulators. The business previously received three verbal warnings and two administrative violation notices, which are formal citations, for COVID-19-related violations since March 2020, Graham said.
Graham confirmed that one of the violations resulted in the business paying a $500 fine on May 20, 2020 following an administrative hearing. The business requested another administrative hearing after LCB issued a seven-day suspension of its liquor license, which is standard for a second violation, on Aug. 14, 2020.