Marshall (KMHL) – While the governors Executive Order took place on Friday, November 20th mandating restaurants to move to take out only, one family owned restaurant in Lynd Minnesota, Havens Garden, is taking a stance and keeping the doors open.
The restaurant’s owner, Larvita McFarquhar, a single mother of four, says the Governor is over stepping his rights and that small businesses have the right to stay open.
“Governor Walz’s mandates are illegal and unconstitutional,” McFarquhar states, “We’re struggling as it is to make it, and to keep putting more demands on us that are unconstitutional, and trying to tie our hands and scare us to comply is just ridiculous; and for any person who agrees with it I don’t understand how they think that is ok….we’re all working hard out here. And he’ll let the big box stores stay open like {Walmart] but he’s closing down small businesses, restaurants, bars, and for what reason? I don’t understand. We are not spreading COVID. And for the small businesses who want to stay open and are staying open, we have never claimed that it is not a virus. We agree that there’s a virus out there, but again, the government has no right to mandate that we close our businesses.”
McFarquhar also reiterates the importance of taking a stance in what you believe in as an example to set for her daughters.
“I’m just fighting for…really for my girls. I have four daughters and I’m not going to teach them to go along, just to get along, with things that are unjust,” said McFarquhar. “You know, if we don’t teach our children to stand up for what’s right, for our innumerable rights to come only from God, who’s going to teach them how to do that? That’s been a hard lesson for me. It’s easy to just say ok whatever, I’ll just close and do whatever the governor says. But that’s not what I want my daughters to think is ok.”
As for the backlash that could follow with McFarquhar keeping her restaurant open, including fines, being forced to shut down indefinitely and jail time, the Lyon County Sheriff’s department says they want to take an educational approach to the situation, and will continue to remind McFarquhar that there could be repercussions from a higher entity, as well as the potential health risks.
But as for McFarquhar, she is planning on having her restaurant open on Friday evening.
