Carbondale Reporter

Mary Lou's Grill owner is considering her options after Carbondale city authorities issued her a ticket for allegedly violating indoor dining guidelines.

Marilynn Martin received the citation in late December, just before the New Year, calling the punishment unfair.

Along with Martin, the owners of Fujiyama's Steakhouse, Don Sol, Sergios and Qin Guan received tickets from Carbondale authorities.

"We are following the safety guidelines, as were the other four restaurants, to my knowledge," Martin told KFVS 12 news.

The restaurant owner intends to challenge the citation given the hefty weight it can carry. The downtown eatery on S. Illinois Avenue could face a fine of up to $750 per day for violating indoor dining regulations. To challenge her case, Martin has to appear before a judge. 

"We were doing everything we could to make sure customers were safe, they felt safe," Martin said. "We realize there is a virus. It's serious, but we're being persecuted for no reason."

In a statement to KFVS 12, Carbondale city officials said its top priority is protecting the community and visitors, including enforcing ordinances during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our efforts to gain voluntary compliance have been notably successful, but unfortunately, in some cases, we have gotten to the point where tickets are unavoidable," city officials said. "While we respect the challenges businesses face and are deeply sympathetic to their struggles, we must act in the best interest of the community's health."

Martin has considered hiring an attorney but said that the fees for legal representation would far surpass the citation's fines.

Martin said the future of Mary Lou's Grill, which has been open for almost 60 years, is at stake.

"If we can't get open and stay open with dine-in, we might not be here," Martin said. "And we've been in business since 1962."