9/22/21 - West Michigan woman reopens restaurant after rift over state’s COVID restrictions

Holland restaurant shuttered 5 months for defying COVID-19 orders, is now allowed to reopen.

HOLLAND, MI -- (Mlive) - Kris Simmons was one of the first diners inside of Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria as it reopened at 6 a.m. Tuesday.

The Zeeland area man and others came early to show support for owner Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, someone described as an “inspiration” by more than one diner.

“She’s a hero,” Simmons said as he talked about Pavlos-Hackney’s willingness to go to jail over her stand against state-ordered COVID-19 restrictions in place last year and early this year.

In fact, she did spend five days in jail in late March when she was arrested for continuing to serve food after her state food license was suspended. The Jan. 20 suspension was a result of her keeping the restaurant open to in-person dining, against restrictions at the time.

Marlena’s Bistro closed after she went to jail March 19 and remained shuttered until Tuesday, Sept. 21. She received judicial clearance Sept. 2 to reopen.

Diners who showed up Tuesday were solidly on the restaurateur’s side. Almost all of the early comers seemed to know her personally and many exchanged hugs with her as she bustled around to refill coffee mugs.

Simmons said he dined at the restaurant during last year’s “lockdown.”

“It was great. Everybody knew each other. You knew you were with fellow conservatives and all that,” Simmons said.He said it seemed like forever before news came that she was reopening.

“When I pulled up this morning and saw the lights on and the open sign, it was surreal,” Simmons said.

Arnie and Janice Becksvoort also were among the first customers Tuesday. They owned the restaurant before Pavlos-Hackney when it was known as The Salad Bowl.

“We’re very proud of her for what she’s done and the way she’s handled everything,” Arnie Becksvoort said, referencing her stand against the COVID-19 restrictions.

“I think that over-the-counter mandates like that are just something that people in this state should really take a close look at because sooner or later you’re going to give up your liberties,” he said.

Michael Farage, another diner, ordered steak and eggs. He said he’s known Pavlos-Hackney about five years and said she should be commended for taking a stand.

“She did this at a time when many restaurateurs wanted to do the same thing, but they were nervous,” he said. “And rightly so, you don’t want to get fined and you don’t want to get the cops surrounding your car, I get it. But she stood up and we’re very proud of her.”

Pavlos-Hackney said she was grateful to reopen Tuesday and said her customers are like family.

“We laugh and talk. We discuss so many issues and politics,” she said.

Pavlos-Hackney said being shuttered for six months was longer than she anticipated and she was disappointed in the legal system.

She has a case pending with the state Court of Appeals over whether an Ingham County judge should have found her in contempt and whether she should have been fined $15,000. Robert Baker, an attorney handling the appeal, was at the restaurant Tuesday for a meal.

Pavlos-Hackney reiterated her claim that state government overstepped its bounds in her case and violated her constitutional rights.

Regardless of the court case, she was happy to be serving customers again.

“It feels so good to see all my people, their smiling faces. This means a lot to me,” she said.

A grand reopening celebration is planned for Oct. 2 at the restaurant, with several people expected to speak from an area in the parking lot.