Drink up: Bars can reopen Monday in the Florida Keys — but not in rest of South Florida

Monroe County will allow bars, breweries to open next week

Gov. DeSantis (Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Gov. DeSantis (Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

UPDATED, Sept. 11, 6 p.m.: Bar and brewery owners can drink to this: Florida will allow bars and breweries to reopen beginning on Monday at a reduced capacity.

But the order, announced on Thursday evening, only applies to counties that have entered phase 2 of the state’s reopening, which excludes Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Bars and breweries in other counties in phase 2 will be able to operate at 50 percent indoor capacity, including in the Florida Keys, according to a Monroe County spokesperson.

Palm Beach County entered phase two on Tuesday, and Broward Mayor Dale Holness on Wednesday said his county is likely headed in the same direction. But bars and breweries will remain closed in Palm Beach County, according to a statement from the county.

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Because Palm Beach entered phase two incrementally, bars will remain closed until another county order is issued, the statement reads.

Bar owners were shut down statewide on June 26 by an emergency order from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. It applied to all businesses in which 50 percent of their gross revenue comes from the sale of alcoholic beverages. Restaurants with 50 percent or less of their gross revenue derived from the sale of on-premise alcoholic beverages were allowed to continue operating.

Bars and breweries throughout the state have been struggling to survive. And in Miami-Dade, it may take much longer before they’re allowed to reopen. At a virtual press conference earlier this week, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said he doesn’t expect bars and nightclubs to reopen until there is a vaccine.

In Miami-Dade, indoor dining was allowed to resume at 50 percent occupancy nearly two weeks ago.