Bar Owner Bans Fur in His NYC Establishments

Bar owner Johnny Barounis--owner of Manhattan hot spots Back Room, Auction House, and Fetch--is making a statement to trendy drinkers who choose to stay warm in the skin of dead animals: Stay Out. Barounis, a vegetarian, is now enforcing a strict door policy at his establishments that will ban those wearing fur from entering, says DNA Info. Doormen at his bars have been instructed to carefully inspect the outerwear of patrons to uphold this policy. This plus West Hollywood's ban on the sale of furs is indicitvive of the movement towards cruelty-free fashion, despite certain designers using furs in their collections. PETA has often criticized the fashion industry for its use of furs and often protested outside of Fashion Week venues in the past. Barounis, however, will allow leather apparel inside his bars because, "those animals are part of the food chain. They are not only killed for their skin, but their meat as well."