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Cherie Anaya, owner of Fortuna’s Hot Brew Bistro, publicly announced the restaurant’s immediate closure this morning, citing her health, mental wellbeing and the best interests of her family.

The announcement comes four days after Anaya was arrested for public intoxication while working at the restaurant. Fortuna police officers responded to the scene around 1:30 p.m. Saturday following a report that Anaya was “highly intoxicated and grabbing customers and waitresses inappropriately and refusing to stop.”

She was arrested on charges of public intoxication and transported to the Humboldt County Correctional facility, according to Fortuna Police Lt. Jason Kadle, who said a police report will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges.

Hannah Jones, one of the waitresses who showed up to work on Saturday, has publicly accused Anaya of drunkenly assaulting her on Saturday morning, prior to her arrest. Jones posted photos of her scratched and bruised forearms on Facebook, tagging Anaya and writing, “California law makes assaulting any employee illegal under standard criminal statutes. … This is why Hot Brew is closed…just in case anyone wants to know the truth.”

This afternoon, the Outpost spoke with Jones and two other (now former) employees of Hot Brew. All three said Anaya drank heavily on the job Saturday morning and was verbally abusive to several employees before verbally and physically assaulting Jones.

Jones said in a phone interview that she tried to leave the restaurant after being yelled at.

“I said, ‘I quit,’ and I tried to leave the back storeroom, and that is when she grabbed my arms, gouging her fingernails into my skin,” Jones said. “I put my hands up, like, ‘Don’t touch me’ … and she grabbed me. I still have nail marks.”

The two other employees we interviewed asked to remain anonymous, saying they’re now looking for new jobs. But their accounts of Saturday’s events align that of Jones, who said she plans to press charges for assault. One of the employees we interviewed was the manager, who worked at Hot Brew for 11 years. 

Regarding Anaya’s announcement, this employee said, “It wasn’t just her deciding to retire. She fucked up.”

Reached by phone, Anaya insisted that Saturday’s events were not the reason behind her decision to close the business after 37 years. Noting that her brother recently died, Anaya said she’d been drinking champagne at the restaurant with nieces and nephews who were likewise in mourning.

“Somebody said I was drunk,” Anaya said.

Asked about Jones’s allegations of assault, Anaya made a series of allegations about Jones’s own past and then impugned Jones and other former employees collectively.

“Yeah, I’ve drank and made mistakes, but what I’m saying is these people are not healthy people,” she said. “They are trying to make me look worse.”

She alleged that her employees had been “terrorizing” her on the job. Asked to explain what she meant by that, Anaya said, “They don’t act like I’m a boss. … I’m here from 5 a.m. to 5 at night, and they’re like, ‘Clean my table, bitch.’ … It’s hard.”

Anaya said that, in addition to her brother’s recent death, the father of one of her sons also died recently, which contributed to her state of mind on Saturday. She said her extended family had traveled to Fortuna from Grass Valley and were in Hot Brew at the time. 

“Usually I try not to sip because I don’t want to make mistakes, but we were all sipping,” she said.

She asked the Outpost repeatedly not to report her arrest. 

About an hour and a half after our phone conversation, Anaya sent the following statement:

Over the past year, I have experienced significant personal loss and challenges. The passing of my several other family members and loved ones who were father figures in my life has taken a tremendous emotional toll on me. Which at times have caused disruptive.

My employees have operating Hot Brew during times when I have not been in the right frame of mind to provide the leadership and support they deserve. I understand and respect their decision that they are no longer want to working under my leadership.

Concerning the incidents that occurred Saturday, this morning, my employees made the decision not to return to work under my leadership.

After 37 years of serving this community, I have made the difficult decision to close Hot Brew. This decision was not made lightly. Hot Brew has been a tremendous part of my life, and I am grateful for the employees, customers, friends, and families who have supported this business throughout the years.

I am deeply grateful to the family and employees who stepped up when I was struggling, to our loyal customers, and to the community that supported Hot Brew for nearly four decades.

Thank you for 37 years.

Cherie
Owner, Hot Brew Restaurant