"There are licensing requirements. Those also have not been relaxed for public health and safety reasons. We're working with everyone we can so that they can come into compliance with the requirements but we're also very mindful that there are licensing requirements to operate a grocery store and they're there to protect all of us. So I think, I don't know the particulars of this situation. I know we would love to have a lot of flexibility but not at the cost of creating additional problems with exposures to other germs to people and that there are strict requirements in place for folks to be able to operate safely a grocery store."

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LBREPORT.com followed-up on this in Long Beach. Does the City of Long Beach take the same or a different position than L.A. County toward LB restaurants offering groceries for sale? At late afternoon March 27, LBREPORT.com directed an email inquiry to LB Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis via the City's management-operated Joint Information Center:

Question by LBREPORT.com: "KNX reported and LA County (Dr. Ferrer) said in today's [March 27] briefing, LA County is not allowing restaurants to serve as de facto grocery stores (selling groceries), citing different licensing requirements for restaurants vs. grocery stores. Is the City of LB taking the same, or a different position on this? Are LB restaurants allowed to sell groceries without some grocery type license to do so? Kindly explain the City of LB's position on this either way."

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LBREPORT.com received the following emailed response:

"The City of Long Beach is acting in alignment with Los Angeles County in not allowing restaurants to serve as de facto grocery stores. The primary function of a business must be essential for it to be allowed to continue to operate."

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LBREPORT.com isn't aware of any enforcement actions taken to date by the City of LB to date on this, and if so whether the City allows restaurants selling groceries to come into compliance or orders a stop in their operations or something in between.

LBREPORT.com is interested in hearing from restaurants and LB consumers on this. Email us at mail@LBReport.com or contact us via private message through our Facebook platform at www.facebook.com/LBREPORT.

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