The City of Miami Beach strikes again…

The City of Miami Beach does it again. Earlier this week, the owners of The Lifeguard by Edwar Simal, a small café on Washington Avenue, opened their shop in the morning and found a violation notice taped to their front door. It had been placed the night before, after they had already closed for the day. The reason? Two small TV monitors in the storefront that display menu items and aren’t set back 10 feet from the window.

The owners were confused and frustrated. The monitors simply help show what’s on the menu without wasting food. The storefront is clean and welcoming—far better than many others nearby that are cluttered or covered in beer boxes and oversized ads. Yet somehow, their business was targeted.

They’ve always respected the law and are willing to make adjustments, but this enforcement doesn’t feel fair. They’re now facing a fine of up to $5,000, and on top of that, they have to pay a fee just to appeal. They also close at 2 PM every day because they don’t feel safe operating in the evenings, making a late-night notice feel even more aggressive.

And then they wonder why businesses are closing on Lincoln Road. This kind of treatment only pushes small business owners away