Bates-Hendricks newletter, 2011-12

              Bates-Hendricks Newsletter
2011
December
Upcoming Bates-Hendricks Meetings
The December Bates-Hendricks neighborhood association meeting will be
Monday, December 5 at 6:30pm. There will be a pitch-in meal, so bring a
side dish or a dessert if you can!
The January association meeting will be January 9, which is the second
Monday of the month.
Sassy Kats Showclub Has Shut Down
For several years now, the neighborhood has
attempted to rid the corner of East and Lincoln
Streets of a “gentlemen’s” club. Frankly, it is
just very dificult to mount a strong enough case
against such an establishment to close it down.
However, relentless eforts by neighborhood
leaders, compelling support from IMPD oficers
and detectives, and the club’s own wrongdoing
finally brought an end to their operations in
our neighborhood.
It started with presenting a case to the county alcoholic beverage commission when Sassy
Kats’ alcoholic beverage permit was up for renewal. After much information collection,
several hearings, and successful neighborhood remonstration, the county board voted to
“strip” the showclub’s alcoholic beverage permit. Without their alcoholic beverage permit,
the establishment just doesn’t seem as inviting to its patrons. Sassy Kats representatives
elected to appeal this ruling with the state Alcohol and Tobacco Commission (ATC). Once
again, the neighborhood and IMPD stepped up.
Eventually, it looked like the showclub was out of luck and needed to look at other
options. The current ownership of the showclub had put money into the business that
they wanted to recuperate. The showclub’s ownership was presented with the option to
sell their liquor license to a new restaurant outside of the neighborhood. As long as the
neighborhood and IMPD agreed to this license transfer, the state would not revoke their
license, but rather allow them to transfer (sell) it to this new restaurant. Selling their
alcoholic beverage permit to someone else would also allow the ownership to recuperate
some of the money they put into renovations. After working out a legal agreement with
council for the showclub owners, the transfer was approved by the ATC. The agreement
stated that upon transfer of the liquor license, Sassy Kats would immediately close down
and, regardless of the timing of the transfer, that it had to close down no later than
January 1, 2012. Well, a license transfer hearing was held on November 21, 2011 and the
showclub closed its doors for good on November 23.
There are already some entities interested in purchasing the facility and turning it into
something more neighborhood-friendly.