May 24, 2010

City moves to revoke Park 6's liquor license

Park 6 owner Thomas Holmes in 2008, shortly after the bar opened at the corner of Park and Sixth streets. 

The Park 6 on Sixth Street is in danger of being shut down after a shooting outside of the bar last weekend.

The City Council's Public Safety and Licensing Committee voted unanimously Monday to begin the process to revoke the controversial bar's liquor license. Alderman Bob Mozol made the motion.

"Every day this place stays open increases the chances of someone getting killed here," Mozol said.

A security guard was shot in the leg early Sunday morning on Sixth Street. Three suspects were arrested in Kenosha about 45 minutes after the shooting.  No charges have been filed.

The Public Safety Committee strongly backed Mozol's lead.

"This is impossible to ignore," said Alderman Aron Wisneski, chairman of the committee.

Alderman David Maack said, without city action, "We're going to have a major problem."

Alderman Jim Kaplan said Park 6's owner hasn't followed through on steps to reduce the potential for problems. "We've been promised so many things and none of them have been followed through on," he said.

Alderman Eric Marcus said he agreed with Mozol. "We need to take action before someone gets killed," he said.

The committee also reviewed three police incidents at Park Six on May 7 and noted the police department's Gang Crime Diversion Task Force monitored a private party at the bar. Past incidents, plus the shooting, give the city a strong enough case to rescind the license, Wisneski said.

The only debate the committee had was whether to revoke the license or simply not renew it when it comes due on July 1. City Attorney Rob Weber said both processes have the same timelines and, essentially, the same potential outcomes.

The committee's decision now goes to the full council for approval. If it's approved, the city's prosecutor will build a case against Park 6 and then serve them with revocation papers.

If the license is revoked, owner Thomas Holmes can't apply for another liquor license in the city for 11 months and another business can't apply for a liquor license at the Park 6 address, 500 6th St., for 11 months.

Holmes did not attend Monday's committee meeting.

See photos of Park 6 here.

44 comments:

  1. about time nothing but problems.....go down and watch the show on the weekends if you have any doubts about this place..

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  2. whatever, it'll just move down the street & around the corner

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  3. A security guard got shot, right? That sounds like somebody was trying to do the right thing.

    "Past incidents, plus the shooting, give the city a strong enough case to rescind the license."

    Like, uh, what?

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  4. Now they're going to have another empty building for 11 months.
    Maybe he should just change the music and start hosting more events for charities and such to draw a more diverse crowd in?
    I've been there a half dozen times and never seen any trouble, but that was when it first opened and earlier in the evenings.
    I think it's sad that he had security and this still happened. I saw his interview on the news and the really looked sincerely upset.

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  5. Let's not forget that racist piece of feces Keith Fair is also responsible for some of the troubles on 6th and Park. Oh, and while were at it what about Gingers? I love how you bloggers blame the "rich white" downtown businesses for all of Racine's woes. Yet their noses are clean, and well let's look at facts. All you who think Park 6 and The Place on 6th are legit, you have NEVER NEVER, been on that corner at bar time. STFU!!!

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  6. Two points:
    1) anyone know anything about the P.I. who has been filming in this area?
    I understand the video shows all kinds of fun and games going on.
    2) Thank God The City stopped the Korean store from opening! The last thing we need Downtown!

    And yes as much trouble as this has been (why did they let this open in the first place?)
    IMHO The Downtown is only for the rich white party folks.

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  7. This is too much government intervention! First the Koreans and now this! At least for the moment this is a free country. If people don't feel safe then they won't go this bar and it will close on it's own. Until then, leave them and our businesses alone!

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  8. Dang it!! Now where will I get my Gin and Juice every weekend??

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  9. Hopefully, you look into how close Mt Pleasant came to ousting the administrator. It is sad that one more vote didn't surface to stand up to the Mt Pleasant political machine.

    It seems Mike Andreasen and Carolyn Milkie are joined at the hip. It is hard to be an objective president of an elected body when according to the JT article you come to the meeting with a praise the king list.

    I hope the residents of Mt Pleasant take careful note for the next election of who is supporting the king and which trustees are doing their job to try to change the old ways.

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  10. Randy - Why don't you go down there and enjoy yourself. I bet you wouldn't have the balls to do so. Maybe take you lovely wife with you also.I'm sure she'd enjoy herself.

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  11. 7:27 - Go to the Blind Aligator. Oh wait, they're closing that $#&%hole down too.

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  12. It won't go down without a fight and the image of the downtown will be tarnished. So lets Rock!!! The Downtown Association wants a image for White Folks, so lets give them just that. What a story for FOX 6. Keep Racine in the news!!!

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  13. kate remington5/25/2010 9:13 AM

    One of the biggest problems on downtown Sixth Street in the evening is parking. This lack of somewhere deemed safe to park your car has caused major havoc for both Thomas Holmes and for Michael Choi and his restaurants as the city tickets cars and harasses visitors. It is like a set up for trouble. So is the lack of constructive and helpful communication between the city and its new businesses especially if those new businesses do not conform to the 'vision' of unknown status quo visionaries. Isn't this supposed to be a democracy? And where is the planning for Anchor C. Does anyone even know that Anchor C (City Hall neighborhood) is downtown and that property owners here are as neglected as the Christmas Tree in front of City Hall that was felled WHY IS THAT? Is the city deliberately trying to cause new businesses grief? The city and DRC and the BID#1 always without fail simply jump over this part of the downtown and furthermore just sold the WE remediated land on Water Street which was suggested more than once by public groups as a connective link for public access for this Anchor C to the river and potential parking --
    Where is the planning, Mr. O'Connell? and Mr. Mayor? Why is it you have so many of us on this street trying to get out somehow somewhere and hopefully elsewhere before we die?

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  14. kate - Quit babbling. Your post makes no sense at all.

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  15. Kate, do you have any idea what you're talking about. I don't. Your statement sounds totally incoherent to me. The topic is the gang infested minority bar at 6th and Park.

    It was argued when this bar was proposed, long before it opened, that it was going to be trouble simply because of the type of bar it is. Holmes promised not play hip-hop music, he promised security, he promised security cameras, he promised to raise the age limit to 25, and on and on. It doesn’t make any difference what race of people support a bar, if its clientele are unruly, the streets are made more dangerous and illegal activity is going on, it should be shut down. If this was happening at the new country bar down the street no minorities in the city would be complaining at all. But just because it happens to be a black bar, well, now we’re all a bunch of racists. But who are really the racists here?

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  16. Party on!

    On dead bodies if necessary!

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  17. kate Remington5/25/2010 11:03 AM

    I am not incoherent, Graham whomever you are and anon whomever you are. Maybe you just don't like what I have to say. I am a property owner on Sixth Street who has also lived above my storefront for 11 years.

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  18. kate - Well then write something that all of us can understand. Talk about run off sentences. You must be a product of RUSD. Think before you write and form your thoughts in a logical manner. It's does not a matter if we disagree or agree, we just don't understand what the hell you are posting.

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  19. Kate are you a Dickert Troll?

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  20. Nobody with a clear head can argue that Park 6 should not be shut down, or at least have a tight leash put on it.
    Who in their right mind would go anywhere near the place - unless they were looking for a little action.
    I am all for economic freedom - until it leads to danger for the common good.

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  21. kate remington5/25/2010 12:44 PM

    This city is corrupt.

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  22. Tim the Shrubber5/25/2010 1:02 PM

    "I am not incoherent"

    I perhaps not totally incoherent, but pretty wildly off-topic. (Unless you are making the claim that parking issue are the cause of all the problems at Park 6.)

    "Kate are you a Dickert Troll?"

    Hmmm...Kate's post was understandable enough for it to be obvious that she is no fan of the city government or the Mayor. So, epic comment fail.

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  23. I went to Park 6 one time when it first opened, I could just sense that sooner or later it would turn into a battlezone, and since then I haven't been back.

    If closing it reduces the possibility of someone being killed, then close it. It doesn't help that 15-16 year old girls find their way in there with fake IDs.

    We need more mature places in Racine, like poetry clubs, Jazz clubs, etc. I usually have to travel to Milwaukee or Illinois to find something like that. On every corner theres a bodega or a bar here and if they're going to play Hip-Hop at least play Hip-Hop and it's entirety, there is positive and uplifting Hip-Hop out there, you'd be amazed how music can influence people to act in the manner that they do...but thats another story.

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  24. I went into Park 6 one night to check it out. I have been drinking the same drink for over 20 years, I know what it tastes like. I ordered that drink and I can tell you I did not get what I ordered. I wanted to make sure so I ordered a shot of that liquor straight. They took it from a separate bottle then what they were using to make my mixer. It was painfully obvious that they were putting cheaper or different liquor in the premium bottle. The drink came in a 8 or 10 oz plastic cup at $5 a drink. I think that is pretty shady.

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  25. Wow!!! One Black man's opinion, we wait and we we will see!!!

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  26. And Park 6 we where told was this great Club that was going to bring Milwaukee style entertainment to Racine. Yes it has if your entertained by shootings

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  27. kate remington5/25/2010 4:20 PM

    For what it is worth Tim the Shrubber yes I do believe the lack of parking has caused friction. There is no problem parking during the day but night is a different story and patrons are parking illegally and patrons are getting tickets. You have new businesses which have met with one obstacle after another squaring off because they are understandably defensive after the hoop jumps. I understand, too, there are ethnic and racial issues regarding patrons and the security officers not just in this current instance. So what is the answer? Who is downtown Racine for? Who is welcome and who isn't?

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  28. Kate:

    Offer your store front as an extension of Park 6.

    No?? I didn't think so.

    Psycho babble.......

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  29. I agree that Park 6 has had its share of problems. But has anyone on here actually been downtown at bar close recently. Even before the shooting things have changed. The only thing that seems to remain is the unbelievable antics from across the street. "The Place on 6th" is a relatively new bar. Therefore most people do not know as much about them as they have heard about Park 6. Let me enlighten you. At least Park 6 is trying. They actually have security not clowns. When people get kicked out of Park 6 they are welcomed with open arms at The Place on 6th. The bar owner, wannabe alderman that cant seem to get elected, Keith Fair, is a joke. He spends more time arguing with security from other bars than he does running his own. He wants to look innocent here, but he is far from it. The shooter walked out of Fair's bar and fired. But then Fair tried to say he wasnt even open. Yeah right. Why was the shooter allowed inside his bar with a weapon. And why would Fair lie about being open? Did he not have security? Did he know the shooter personally? Or was Fair outside the building trading drugs for sex again? If you want to clean up downtown get rid of them both but its unfair to keep Keith Fair!

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  30. There are alot of offensive remarks on this post.

    Is anyone on here besides Kate and 12:23 an educated adult? People can say anything they want anonymously so put your names on your thoughts and then maybe some real dialogue can start happening but until then......

    Most of you need to stop and think what you would do if this was happening to you and your business and to your family? I truly believe that most of you are only Christians when you are sitting on a church pew - and that includes the City Council people. Haven't you ever heard of "No Comment." Oh I forgot, Kaplan doesn't care how he gets his name in print. What has the business owner promised that he hasn't done? Who was in charge of monitoring the business owner's plan of action by the Common Council? I hope it was Mr. Kaplan because then you have alot more explaining to do than the business owner. Your religion classes in Public Schools is not solving this problem. Instead of jumping all over this why aren't more people trying to help the business owners succeed. He pays taxes to the City.

    The last thing I hear everyone saying is that we need less businesses in Racine.

    I can remember a few years ago when a similar establishment was taken down this path by the Common Council. There is no mercy from the Community. It is always the owner's fault - well it is time that the Community as a whole accepts responsibility. People from Illinois don't just decide to come to Racine, WI on a Saturday night unless they know someone in this Community. Developing a sense of Community is just not happening here and I ask all who post -Why not? Earlier in the year I was dared by someone to drive up 6th St.during closing time. I did it and I blame anyone who had anything to do with renovating 6th St for the congestion. There are no 24 hour Starbucks or restaurants for these young people to wind down at after having fun in this area. So they congregate on the sidewalks. I did not feel threatened driving down 6th St but I did worry that someone was going to get hit by a car and I didn't want to be the driver. Most of you will sit back behind your anonymous blogs and think nothing of trashing another human being but I hope in the future less people will participate because nothing will change until the people within the Community change.

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  31. Everyone seems very anxious to talk about Park 6 and The Place on 6 as they are now. What about what they used to be and why the previous owners went out of business or closed down? From what I understand downtown Racine has had a long history of violence in the bars and streets.
    It seems as if the solution were to simply shut down these places the problem would have been solved long ago when the previous bars closed or changed hands.
    ASP, it's easy taking dirty, cheap shots at Fair from behind the great Mommy's apron of anonymous, isn't it? Man up and state who you are if you are going to make statements like that. That goes for all of you cowards who attack from the safety of your keyboard.

    I've been in Keith's many times and while he was there I watched him tell people to not even sit down and get out. I have never seen even so much as an argument take place there. Now, that may very well be because I go in there with groups of people, but I can say honestly being there at night and not seeing any problems. I even ask him to turn off that laser light of his and he does. Plus I have played his juke box and found acceptable music for my tastes.

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  32. Okay.......this is too weird, Penny was posting at the same time as me! And, no we were not coordinating.

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  33. Tim the Shrubber5/25/2010 7:50 PM

    "For what it is worth Tim the Shrubber yes I do believe the lack of parking has caused friction."

    ...and that is linked to the problems at Park 6? It caused a shooting? I am having a hard time believing that parking is really not relevant to the story.

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  34. lets look at the police calls to place on 6th and park 6th. Whatever place had more should be shut down. And I'm sorry but I have been down there plenty of times at bar close and just cause you have a large griup of black people does not make it a warzone. Go to Milwaukee at bar close. Why hasn't RPD been brought up? Milwaukee and Kenosha the police are around at bar close and issue tickets. RPD only comes when called and by that time it's too late. It sucks that it took a guy getting shot to bring this up but closing it down won't help.Vipers got closed they went to the club, the club got shut down they went to park 6, park 6 gets full they go to gingers or place on 6th. See a trend? Hip-Hop makes money, close all the bars in this city and you'll have a shooting at a house party.

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  35. Kay,

    Hell no I am not releasing my full name to the public. And I will tell you why. It is because of a few encounters with Mr. Fair where he has threatened and cursed me right on the streets of downtown. Maybe had he minded his own business in the first place I wouldnt have started paying so much attention to his actions. And maybe my comments are dirty, but they are also the truth.

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  36. Keith Fair: "drug counselor" and "preacher."

    LOLOLOL!

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  37. Park 6 shouldn't lose it's license. Patrons, owners, and officials should work together to keep it open. Bar time in any popular neighborhood means crowds. I've been in there and it's a beautiful place. Racine does not need another closed storefront. This is crap.

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  38. This is a beautiful bar - it's the patrons that are not.

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  39. Yes we should let these bars stay open, it's not like any of the rich whites that the Downtown exist for are going to be shot.
    "24 hour Starbucks or restaurants for these young people to wind down at after having fun in this area" What? if there was a starbucks there would have not been a shooting? Hello?

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  40. They can aford signage for there place that's better then some of the bars on sixth street!

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  41. If it wasn't on the NEW 6th. Street nothing would be said or done.

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  42. Right 12:42

    If in the inner-City no one who care, case in point the open air drug market on 12th and Memorial.
    Seen Dog fighting behind the Limo place but hell it's in the inner city who cares.

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  43. This is ridiculous!
    Why would Racine's social problems - or the bad behaviour by a few - be ONE business owner's fault?
    The City Council should be begging investors to stay in Racine and provide resources help them succeed instead of meddling with everyone's RIGHTS.
    How dare the City threaten an entrepreneur when investors have been telling Racine "you're fired" for years! The City should bend over backwards to help out and preserve every single job generated to date. This is not the only town with issues but we seem to have WIMPY and LAZY city officials that chicken out when the going gets tough. They can't even handle the imaginary problems of a never-opened Korean convenience store! These are seemingly fragile minds. While the world moves forward Racine's progress is handcuffed by the mental paralysis of just a few. Figure it out! Closing down businesses is just a cop out.

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  44. Close them down - let's se a nice establishment open up. The people in this bar are thugs at best. Hip hop, drugs and guns - their way of life.

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