MINNEAPOLIS - The city of Minneapolis is trying to revoke the liquor licenses of two warehouse district nightclubs, Bootleggers and Envy, because city leaders say they are places at the root of late night problems over the last several months.
"These places do not deserve to have an on sale liquor license," Grant Wilson, head of the city business licensing division said Wednesday.
Bootleggers and Envy nightclub sit across the street from one another on First Avenue; their owners are accused of poor business practices.
"Violations that we found at both of these clubs related to the sale of alcohol, related to poor management strategies, use of illegal narcotics in the club things like that," Wilson said.
Neighbors to those clubs say they see the aftermath on a weekly basis.
"My first night here I went out to see the situation and there was a girl right away just pushed a cop," Benjamin Martinez, manager of Downtown Pizza Luce said.
Martinez said it's an all too common theme that he and his staff have to stay on watch after the clock strikes 2 a.m. when those clubs in question close up.
"It's fighting, it's being loud, we usually have security on and police here as well and they just start drama with the cops," Martinez said.
The owners of Bootleggers and Envy did not respond to our requests for interviews but we did find documents filed by the city linking the two.
Last September the owner of Envy was called to a licensing meeting because his club was violating a handful of city ordinances. He was accompanied to that meeting by the person named as manager of Bootleggers, so there is a link between the clubs that according to the city predates Wednesday's news.
So far this year the city has recorded 12 crimes at Envy nightclub ranging from theft and assault to robbery.
The clubs owners have until August 20 to respond to the city's notice of license revocation. They each have three options; close down, appeal to the city council or to an administrative judge.
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