State to consider liquor appeals

City fighting permits for 2 bars: Luna Del Mar and Bootleggers Kennel Club

Lorain officials will head to Columbus to continue the city’s battle against two bars that police say are trouble spots in South Lorain and on Broadway.

On April 12, the Ohio Liquor Control Commission will hold hearings for the liquor permit renewal cases involving Velez Corp., doing business as Luna Del Mar, 2156 E. 28th St., South Lorain, and for Bootleggers Kennel Club doing business as the Bootleggers Den, 538 Broadway.

The Ohio Division of Liquor Control on Jan. 30 denied the renewal of the liquor licenses for both bars. Owners of both have appealed the denial for consideration by the state Liquor Control Commission.

Renewing the permit for Bootleggers would cause “substantial interference with public decency, sobriety, peace or good order,” said the order from James V. Canepa, superintendent of the Ohio Division of Liquor Control.

“The permit holder has operated the business and liquor permit business in a manner that demonstrates a disregard for the laws, regulations or local ordinances of this state,” he ruled about Bootleggers.

The order for Luna noted similar conditions there.

“The applicant, any partner, member, officer, director or manager thereof has shown a disregard for the laws, regulations or local ordinances of the state and will operate the permit business in a manner that demonstrates a

disregard for the laws, regulations or local ordinances of the state,” the state order said.

Lorain police and City Council members argued

their cases against the bars in hearings on Jan. 9. Those included testimony from Councilman Angel Arroyo Jr., who represents Ward 6, where Luna is located, and from Councilman Dennis Flores, whose Ward 2 includes Bootlegger’s Den.

Lorain police Detective Sgt. Orlando Colon testified Luna and Bootlegger’s Den are “crime attractors,” places that afford criminal opportunities and become well-known to offenders. When police investigate incidents, victims and witnesses refuse to cooperate with officers, he said.

Since August 2016, police logged six assaults, three weapons violations and two robberies at Bootlegger’s Den, Colon said.

In the same time, there were seven assaults at Luna; police learned of five shooting victims and three

stabbing victims all claiming their injuries occurred at Luna, Colon said.

Luna owner William Velez testified he tries to keep his patrons safe inside the building. Velez said he is not facing any criminal charges because he is not into criminal activity. Instead, he argued the city is killing his business.

Building owner Edmond McCall of Bootlegger’s Den attended that hearing but did not testify.

McCall later said Flores slandered his name and the city confused him with other bar owners with the same last name. No one died in the bar, McCall said, and no one from the city ever approached him about any of the incidents there. If the state revokes the liquor license, McCall said he would find another business to occupy the building.