In a shameful overreach the Virginia ABC Authority, backed by Virginia State Police troopers, raided a Spotsylvania County restaurant that defied orders to close in the face of government-ordered coronavirus restrictions in 2021. Restaurant owner Matt Strickland believed that Northam’s mandates were unconstitutional. He has refused to stop serving food and alcohol despite having his licenses suspended by public health officials. He believed the mandated were unconstitutional and now the state is out for revenge (2 years later).

“I’ve seen first-hand what it means to lay it all on the line – first in the United States Army and now as a small business owner fighting off self-serving bureaucrats who love strangling small businesses and punishing entrepreneurs,” read a fundraising email sent out by Gourmeltz owner and 27th Senate District candidate Matt Strickland.

“Please join my campaign by making your immediate and generous contribution…,” the email read. “I’m giving my all in the fight to save our Commonwealth, and I hope you’ll join me.”

On Nov. 15, ABC served Gourmeltz an order that suspended the restaurant’s beer and wine license and mixed beverage license for 90 days. The revocation came after a lengthy court battle in relation to the restaurant openly defying several COVID-19 rules imposed by former Gov. Ralph Northam in 2020 and 2021. The Circuit Court of Spotsylvania County ruled in favor of ABC and against Gourmeltz in all respects.

After being served the suspension, ABC alleges Gourmeltz continued to serve alcoholic beverages. On Friday, ABC raided the restaurant to execute a search warrant for records and information related to the possession and sale of alcoholic beverages without a license.

“Despite administrative proceedings and the final order of the Circuit Court of Spotsylvania County affirming Virginia ABC’s decision to suspend Gourmeltz’s wine/beer on and off premises and mixed beverage licenses, the establishment failed to comply with ABC’s Board Order and continued to serve beer, wine and mixed beverages to customers,” a news release from ABC stated.

A video posted by Strickland’s campaign appears to show Virginia State Police removing alcohol from the premises. In the video, Strickland confronted the officers and questioned their actions. When the officers said they were doing their job, the candidate said they were part of the problem.

In defiance of the 2021 COVID-19 regulations, Gourmeltz allowed patrons to sit at the bar, he did not require employees or customers to wear face coverings and he refused to enforce social distancing regulations, which all violated Northam’s orders at the time. Strickland claimed the rules were unconstitutional and ineffective.

The Center Square reached out to Strickland for comment, but did not receive a response.

Strickland is facing Del. Tara Durant, R-Fredericksburg, in the primary to represent the Republican Party in the Senate election. The 27th Senate District is a Republican-leaning district, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

According to their website:

Stand with Matt

Raised in Woodbridge, Virginia, Matt Strickland decided to serve his country and joined the Army at the early age of seventeen. After multiple tours of duty to Iraq and Afghanistan, Matt decided it was time to share his gift of culinary masterpiece creations with the world! With a truck, a dream, and hard work, Gourmeltz became a reality!

Fast forward to today, Gourmeltz is now a 90’s Music Bar & Drafthouse located in Spotsylvania, Virginia. Gourmeltz is a friendly gathering place for the entire family offering specialty Gourmet Artisan Meltz, an amazing selection of Virginia beers, and other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 flu in March 2020, Gourmeltz was forced to close its doors in compliance with government regulations and remained closed through June 2020. Matt looked forward to reopening the doors and inviting the community back into Gourmeltz once the lockdown ended.

What has resulted since the government allowed the slow reopening of restaurants and bars? Restaurants are jumping through higher hoops to remain open, enduring more rules. More restrictions. More regulations, mandates, and curfews. The restaurant industry faced a roller coaster of orders, including reduced occupancy levels, a 10 PM alcohol cutoff, a ban on bar seating, and social distancing.

Matt, the owner of Gourmeltz, is taking a stand. His fear is these restrictions, and financial hardships are pushing Gourmeltz and other family-owned small restaurants further to the brink of locking their doors again permanently – of abandoning the dream they built.

Matt has taken a stand for his restaurant, employees, and the community. Currently, the Spotsylvania Health Department has ordered Gourmeltz to close for not following the governor’s state-mandated Covid-19 mitigation measures. He did not comply with the closure order and continues to operate.

It’s too early to know what the legal ramifications could be for Gourmeltz. Health officials have told Matt that he could be fined or arrested for failing to comply. Other possibilities include filing an injunction, seeking a Class 1 misdemeanor charge, and hefty fines.

For Matt and Gourmeltz, the only choice is to stand up for the rights he once fought for as a Veteran while serving his country overseas — or comply and lose his dream. Matt has chosen to take a stand and defend his rights. He is standing for his business, staff, American people, and other Veteran-Owned businesses in the same plight.

If you share in the same American spirit, Gourmeltz needs your help! Join the effort to support Gourmeltz with legal expenses, potential fines, unanticipated expenses, and other businesses willing to stand for the American spirit. Do you stand with Matt?

Support a loud voice to ensure that fairness and freedom are brought back to the hardest hit restaurants and bars during Covid-19. Let’s help Matt, Gourmeltz, and other restaurateurs keep their dream.

The owner of Gourmeltz, Matt Strickland, has battled the state since 2020, claiming the COVID rules implemented by the state during the pandemic were unconstitutional. He refused to comply with mask, social distancing and other mandates ordered by then-Gov. Ralph Northam by continuing to operate the restaurant even with his food and alcohol licenses suspended by the state.

In January 2021, the Virginia Department of Health suspended Gourmeltz’s health permit. The restaurant has stayed open while the case meandered through the court system.

The department served a court order November 14 suspending the restaurant’s license for 90 days following a court ruling affirming the restaurant violated the state’s COVID-19 emergency restrictions at the height of the pandemic.

Strickland, who is campaigning for the area’s 27th District State Senate seat, said at the time that he would continue to sell alcohol at the restaurant.

The 39-year-old U.S. Army veteran also said at the time that he was willing to go to jail.

In a Friday statement, the Virginia ABC said it was executing the search warrant for “records and information related to possession of alcoholic beverages without a license, maintaining a common nuisance and the illegal sale of alcoholic beverages” because “the establishment failed to comply with ABC’s Board Order and continued to serve beer, wine and mixed beverages to customers.”

In a video livestreamed on his campaign Facebook page Friday, Strickland approached the Virginia State Police troopers helping execute the search warrant in his restaurant as alcohol was being removed.

He asked them what they were doing and chastised them for supporting “government overreach” that he said violated his rights.

The police at the scene told Strickland they were there to confiscate alcohol and records related to sales of alcohol based on the search warrant.

He asked the officers how they felt about what they were doing. Several said they were doing their job.

“Just doing your job? That’s what they said in Germany, too, man. They’re just doing their job,” he said.

“You’re part of the problem,” Strickland continued as he panned the video showing several officers.

Strickand narrated the scene by decrying the COVID mandates.

“It set small businesses back so many years,” he said in the video. “It destroyed small businesses. It destroyed families. It destroyed our community. It destroyed our country. And nobody in here gives a damn about that. They’re just doing their job.”

One officer eventually said Strickland needed to stop and warned him not to cross beyond a certain point or he could be arrested for obstructing the search warrant execution.

Another officer then asked the restaurant owner if he would help them access his computer records on alcohol sales.

“What do you need to see it for? I’m telling you I’m selling alcohol. That’s all the proof you need,” Strickland said before asking his wife to help the officers get the records.

It isn’t clear what punishment Strickland could face. According to State Code, selling alcohol without a license is a Class 1 misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.