The Grizzly Rose of Denver voluntarily closed its doors again Monday as reports of lack of compliance surfaced on social media. Jenny Orin, who was not present at the Grizzly Rose Friday night, was triggered by videos of people dancing and having fun. She “just wanted it to stop.”
Jenny’s sister sent her the videos of Grizzly Rose, and panic ensured across Denver’s compliant crowd, sending Rose’s ownership back into a closing mode for the second time since October Owner Scott Durland contacted TriCounty Health Monday to state he’s voluntarily closing; he cannot operate at 25% capacity and still generate profits.
This time, however, Scott is optimistic about re-opening and the future of the live music and dancing venue. He says that the Rose will survive this closing and thrive in the long run, though he is worried about the changing ways people interact. Durland says that TriCounty health is exceptionally fair with him and has opened an ongoing dialogue with him about how to “safely reopen.”
Durland says, however, that opening at twenty-five percent capacity, the maximum capacity allowed per Polis and CDPHE, is simply not beneficial for his business. In fact, the Grizzly Rose had remained closed all Winter after Tri-County Health questioned Durland and staff about compliance measures in October. Durland reopened the bar three weeks ago but did not advertise its opening because he knew he could not handle the crowds.
“Tri-County Health Department Environmental Health Director Brian Hlavacek said The Grizzly Rose in Adams County was questioned for allegedly violating county restrictions intended to limit the spread of COVID-19, KCNC-TV .”
“’Under Level Orange, all restaurants, including The Grizzly Rose, are required to adhere to 25% capacity, or 50 people, whichever is fewer,’ Hlavacek said, adding that this is not the first time the music venue has been in question.'”
Now, according to Hlavacek, Tri-County Health is “watching” the Grizzly Rose…because Jenny Orin was triggered by crowds of people having fun across the city from her residence, clearly not affecting her general life. It’s fair to say the Grizzly Rose “got Jenny’d,” leaving the bar and its staff with no revenue, again, for at least several more months. But Jenny is now safe.
Tri-County health, to “ensure safety” for people like Jenny, will continue “watching” the bar and “talking to” Durland. Ironically, neither Durland nor the Grizzly Rose patrons pictured having fun in social media posts asked for the health department to make them “feel safe…” there was never any consent, whether implied or explicit, between the people of Denver and CDPHE, to “keep them safe,” much like the rest of the nation. CDPHE and Tri-County Health, like Governor Polis, simply usurped that power and gave millions of Jenny’s the power to enforce it.
To be fair, if it weren’t Jenny Orin who begged the health department to keep her safe, it would’ve been Karen, Tina, or Taneisha. There are Jenny Orin’s everywhere, empowered with the media and elected officials’ constant reinforcement of their “need to feel safe” rather than living like Americans…staying home, self-isolating, and leaving the Grizzly Rose alone.
After laying off over fifty staff members, who have largely found other jobs or applied for Colorado unemployment, Scott was left with a core staff of just three people when he decided to reopen in January. He knows that the Grizzly Rose will thrive in the long run, but he realizes the way people interact has largely changed, thanks to Jenny’s all over the world.
Will Grizzly Rose’s patrons ever return to dancing with each other, finding love amongst strangers in a bar, sharing cigars outside on crisp fall nights, and loving their fellow humans like they once did? Only time will tell, but for now, the power given to average everyday Jenny’s must be returned to people wishing to live their lives without government intrusion.
