California coffee shop was operating as ‘bikini cafe’ leading to 17 arrests, cops say
Seventeen people were arrested after authorities found a California coffee shop had been operating as a “bikini cafe,” with scantily clad workers serving customers lap dances, according to reports.
DD Café in Garden Grove, a city about 34 miles south of Los Angeles, had workers wearing bikinis, or even less clothing, while helping customers, Garden Cove police Sgt. Nick Jensen told The Orange County Register.
An undercover investigation by FOX 11 captured female servers giving lap dances, offering private dances for cash and telling customers they can bring alcohol for a fee.
While people at the business told FOX it was “only a coffee shop,” 17 people were arrested, including its owners, on Thursday, authorities said.
Authorities said the shop violated city municipal codes related to public nudity, business operations and alcohol regulations. The shop was also not permitted to sell alcohol, Jensen said.
The building where the business was located was also flagged, requiring the business to cease operations immediately. It was not immediately clear what building violations were involved in the incident.
Jensen told the Register that it was not the first time police have taken action against a bikini café in the city.
Bikini cafés are often coffee shops or small, drive-thru coffee shacks, where baristas wear bikinis, lingerie or other revealing clothing. They largely exist in the Pacific Northwest and often have provocative names to draw in customers.
Residents living near the DD café told FOX they were not surprised to hear the shop was operating as a bikini café, saying similar businesses are an open secret in the city.
Authorities have not shared information about the 17 individuals arrested in connection with the case.
