Comments on: When a bar becomes a nuisance

By: amh

amh — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:55:53 +0000

What a bummer…Irv’s closed and now Johnny As. I moved away 3 years ago. No, this wasn’t an upscale area, but a few of the places I really enjoyed myself. I’m a middle classed working person (legally) and these kind of places are everywhere. Generally if you mind your own business, you won’t be bothered. Most people are friendly, but yes you may need to watch your back to a certain extent. Johnny As was a very nice place inside, things happen, things happen everywhere, and particularly this area whether it’s around this bar or another. Unfortunately, Johnny As had to take the dive this time around. It’s sad Irv’s is gone too - I’d call that place a “Classic” it had character! No more nickels, what ashame!

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 26 May 2008 19:34:08 +0000

This city is so full of marginal characters.

Try the area between Grant, and 15th street The area around the SA and the Liquor is a major blight.

Close the SA down…hookers pimps crack-heads, and drunken fools riding around on their bike with bricks attached to a lanyard to randomly hit people.

in one years time I have been mugged 7 times.

The crackheads go behind the SA and get high and then rob people.

It’s a huge mess. It’s making me and 30 people I know leave the Loring Park neighborhood.

In my opinion it’s worse than the northside.

I am leaving thisa city due to the terrible things I have had to endure.

This city used to inspire me, but I cannot go for a walk without being hit up for money.

I’m moving away. I can’t stand living in a community that causes me to look over my shoulder day or night.

Fix this city, or it’s going to become another Detroit.

By: JKW

JKW — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 17:41:36 +0000

Isn’t this the bar that was shot in the opening scene in the movie Fargo? I know the bar has had a face lift since the movie was filmed, but shouldn’t that staring role make this place a city landmark and not a blighted property ripe for development?

By: B C

B C — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:52:01 +0000

I feel sorry for all the drug dealers and thugs. Where are they supposed to go now?

By: shortygirlk2

shortygirlk2 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 19:45:43 +0000

Taking away the liqour license or closing down the bar isn’t going to stop the problem (drug dealing, prostitution, etc) it’s only going to relocate it. Do you think the City knows where these people are going to perform their illegal activities at? I’d like to know so I can avoid that place too…

By: RLB

RLB — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:07:55 +0000

The 2oo Club, Johnny A’s.. the name has changed but the problem is still the same. I have been there and yes there are a few illegal activities that happen in the parking lot.. but lets be for real things like that happen all over the place. Mary Jo’s is for helping families and those in need and she faces the same problems with drug activity and other ungodly things. Most of the troubles that happen in the vicinity of the bar merely comes from residents who don’t even live in that area so it is a rest haven for their illegal dealings. Shutting down the bar will not solve the problem it will continue in the vacant lots. I say keep the bar and remove the crime spend some time outside on a hot summer night the police stroll by but they never really do much and well most of them out there on the “Block” are undercover sellers or informants looking to bust the lowest factors on the crime chart.

By: mazaratirick

mazaratirick — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:08:07 +0000

man leave that joint alone.. a bar is a bar… if you go there then you know the rep the place has.. i miss irvs 3 tacos for a buck on sundays

By: cmb

cmb — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:22:22 +0000

I read the 95 page evidence packet. More than once, Mr. A was caught selling liquor without a licence and admitted to the police that he purchased it at a liquor store. More than once, his bouncer was busted for selling drugs. And he’s innocent? He’s an honest businessman investing his life savings to clean up the neighborhood? He saw a golden opportunity to do serve people with pockets full of cash — hookers, pimps and dealers! Pure greed. He had no desire to clean up the community or he would have eliminated the bar from the equasion and made it simply a fine dining establishment. However, closing Johnny A’s does nothing for the community crime problem other than move it around. Mr. A is the only criminal being held accountable for his crimes here … his drug-dealing, gun toting patrons are simply relocating.

By: Quita

Quita — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:42:00 +0000

I have worked for John for 5 years. I really wish there was some way this could be fixed. It seems we are just the next target in the city’s sights. Shark’s, Gabbie’s now us. Irv’s has been closed for over a year and is still for sale and vacant. Hate to say it but it seems like the new trend is going after the bars with a greater amount of black patronage. To all my friends at the 2, I’ll see you soon let’s meet up for drinks over Northeast, then over south, then wherever we can. Let’s just be honest about what is really going on. If you have never been in Johnny A’s I suggest you get there fast. I promise you will be shocked when you see how nice it is and not the dive you thought you had to lock your doors to drive past. PS That was an idiotic comment by the way.
PEACE

By: Becky

Becky — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:38:02 +0000

I drive past this place every day on my way home from work. I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen some very suspicious behavior, along with people face down of the sidewalk with police on top of them. And this is at 5:00 in the afternoon. I would often wonder what kind of excitement I would see when driving by. I see the bar across the street is closed, the old, hole-in-the-wall liquor store is gone and now if they could just get the strip club closed, there may be hope for this neighborhood to flourish.

By the way, I’d be pretty nervous about health issues if I had eaten there, knowing they had a non-functional dishwasher.