‘Crazy Bernie’ fined again by the city of Fresno for keeping his furniture store open

Bernie Siomiak, perhaps better known as “Crazy Bernie,” was fined $5,000 Wednesday for keeping his furniture store open during the city of Fresno’s shelter-in-place orders.

Mark Standriff, the city’s director of communications, said it was the third time Siomiak was cited since the city called for an emergency shutdown of nonessential businesses beginning March 19 to help slow the spread of the potentially deadly coronavirus.

Standriff reiterated Wednesday that furniture stores — like other retail stores that don’t sell essential items such as food — are considered a nonessential business and should remain closed.

“Crazy Bernie was fined for repeated violation of the shelter-in-place orders,” Standriff said. “He was given a warning on March 31 for staying open. On April 23, there was a $1,000 citation after we received another complaint.

“We got another complaint today he was opened. One of our code enforcement officers went over and told him he cannot do curbside pickup (sales) and issued a $5,000 citation.”

Siomiak’s latest fine also comes a day after publicly criticizing the city during Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld’s news conference Tuesday that demanded businesses open immediately if the owners can follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Bernie’s reaction

Siomiak didn’t have much to say when reached on the phone Wednesday.

But he was outspoken during Tuesday’s public gathering.

“It’s just unfair pigeonholing people into these nonessential,” Siomiak said. “Amazon shipped $1 million a day in furniture. (I received) a $1,000 fine for having an internet site of the worldwide web.

“I could be selling furniture to people in Europe. I can’t sell on the web? I said I defy it and I will defy it to the day they put me in a freaking hole.”

Assemblyman critical

Assemblyman Jim Patterson, who was Fresno’s mayor from 1993-2001, criticized the city on social media and called Siomiak’s latest citation a “retribution” fine.

“One day after Crazy Bernie said his piece at City Hall, he was cited $5,000,” Patterson posted on Twitter. “Told it is unlawful to operate his website. For doing the safest kind of business there is. Online.

“OK for Amazon, but not Bernie. He isn’t crazy, the City is. It’s now come down to retribution fines.”

Two hours after Patterson posted his comments, his Tweet appeared to be deleted.

Standriff denied that the city has targeted Siomiak, adding that inspectors respond when the city receives a complaint, then check to determine if a nonessential business is violating shelter-in-place orders.

In all, 28 furniture stores in Fresno have been cited for being open during the shelter-in-place orders, including four stores that were warned Wednesday.

When asked why furniture stores could not be open but big box stores such as Walmart and Target could and sell furniture to the public, Standriff said the difference is furniture stores have a very specific type of inventory they are selling.

Standriff added it didn’t matter if a furniture store was providing curbside pickup or delivery — all furniture stores in Fresno should currently be closed.

“First of all, people need to understand that it’s not about an activity of an individual store,” Standriff said. “The whole concept behind a shelter in place is to have people stay in their homes as much as possible.

“Every single time you leave the house, you are increasing the risk of spreading this pandemic. We only want people to make trips for essential goods.”

The city of Fresno is looking into laxing its shelter in place in the coming weeks, Standriff added, but its orders would remain compliant with the state’s emergency code.

Siomiak said he spoke Wednesday with a city official who explained why he was fined.

“It makes a little more sense,” Siomiak said. “But not much.”

This story was originally published April 29, 2020 at 7:58 PM.