On July 16, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission, or MLCC, issued an order for a show cause hearing against Harper's Restaurant and Brewpub. The hearing takes place at 1 p.m. Thursday.
LIVE: Harper's Restaurant and Brewpub show cause hearing via MLCC
Crowd inside Harper's Restaurant and Brewpub on June 8.
The hearing was announced after over 180 cases of COVID-19 were linked to the bar.
"The purpose of this hearing is primarily fact-finding," MLCC Public Information Officer Jeannie Vogel said.
The Commission called for the hearing to figure out what happened that resulted in the outbreak, and what steps will be taken if and when they reopen to ensure the health and safety of patrons and employees.
Earlier this week, a Twitter thread was circulated calling for the establishment to be shut down. It spoke of unfavorable employee and customer experiences. The State News is looking into the credibility of the thread.
"We are aware of the wildly inaccurate and seriously defamatory claims being circulated online about our venues. ... We take these libelous accusations seriously and are consulting with our legal team," Trish and Pat Riley, owners of Harper's and PT O'Malley's, said to The State News in a statement.
The statement included a claim about an author of the thread that has yet to be confirmed independently by The State News.
READ MORE
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
This is a developing story. Stay with The State News for updates. Sara Tidwell contributed to the reporting of this article.
