BEAUMONT, Texas — A Beaumont bar owner says he will continue to fight for what he believes in after the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission suspended the business' license for the next 30 days.
Bobby Parham opened the doors of Soggy Bottom Saloon in Beaumont Saturday night along with other bars across Texas to defy the governor's order for bars to shut down indefinitely. The business used to go by the name Squeeze's.
Parham joined bar owners that chose to open Saturday in what organizers labeled as 'Freedom Fest.'
In a Facebook post, Parham said the TABC suspended his license.
"I expected it and I’m totally fine with it. I served 4 years willing to give up my life for this country and what I believe in, I’ll damn sure give up a license for 30 days that is worthless right now anyways. But what disgusts me the most, is TABC won’t show up and see for themselves how we can conduct business safely and more safely than most other businesses," Parham said in the post. "Instead they act like cowards, call me days later to meet at my bar, and suspend me saying they determine my business would constitute a continuing threat to public welfare."
Parham says he opened the doors Saturday at 25% percent capacity, which is about 80 people.
He says CDC guidelines were in place, including mandatory face coverings, temperature checks and social distancing.
"We can do all that and still have fun, just give us a chance," Parham said on Sunday.
While bar owners all over Texas are left to wonder when they can reopen, Parham hopes the governor realizes how people's livelihoods are being impacted.
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