"It was chilling. In 2017, we shouldn’t be experiencing this."

South Beach’s Burger & Beer Joint is no more—and locals say it has to do with the gay bar upstairs from the restaurant.

“The Burger & Beer Joint in South Beach was terminated under the terms of the franchise agreement for failure to get approval, prior approval of an unauthorized second business on franchise premises,” Charles Forlidas, an attorney representing the national company, B&B Franchise Group, told CBS Miami.

“It’s outright discrimination,” said Carlos Ekneiro, one of three partners who own the former Burger & Beer Joint. “How can they say because they’re doing gay events that it’s hurting their brand?”

Ekneiro opened a gay bar, called The Mix, above the restaurant. Shortly after the club’s opening B&B sent a letter that stated the club “could have a substantial negative impact on Burger & Beer Joint’s reputation.”

But Forlidas stands by that the decision has nothing to do with the bar having a gay clientele.



“Variance of any kind is injurious to the brand — no matter what kind of bar is opened. It’s not something that would have been approved,” Forlidas said. “We know it’s South Beach. We welcome the gay community…. It’s the fact they brought in a third party.”

Tony Ferro, a South Beach club promoter, told the Miami Herald that Ekneiro approached him about opening The Mix.

“They [B&B] knew what we were doing. It had to be approved with them, which they did. They were OK with the whole concept,” said Ferro. “We don’t sell their food. We don’t brand ourselves together with B&B at all. I don’t see how they would associate us with them.”

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“It has nothing to do with the nature of the bar that its operating,” said Forlidas. “B&B is a long time citizen of the South Beach community and welcomes all LGBT people and the whole community.”

“It was chilling. In 2017, we shouldn’t be experiencing this. Especially in South Beach,” Ferro said. “Gay dollars made B&B. We’ve been there since the beginning.”

As of now both of Ekneiro’s Burger & Beer Joint locations, in South Beach and Dolphin Mall, are operating without a name— but he’s considering naming them Freedom Burger and Liberty Burger.