"We are very glad the city took quick action on this site," stated Archer Heights Civic Association (AHCA) Executive Director Thomas Baliga, whose organization had received several complaints from neighbors and which also saw information about the rave posted on the Internet. "All complainants had serious reservations about the capacity of that hall, parking problems and potential liquor consumption. The event was an advertised commercial production that stated there were going to be six bands/groups and two DJ's performing. One of the bands alone had 17 members."
"This place does not have a PPA (Public Place of Amusement License) and as such, cannot stage events of this kind," Baliga added. "There is parking for only about 20 cars in a lot adjacent to the east side of the building; so several questions arose as to how a small neighborhood hall could possibly handle the anticipated capacity of such a mega-event."
In addition to not having a PPA license, inspectors noted that Club Karlov does not have the required city license to sell food at a special event.
According to city records, Club Karlov's business license (as a tavern) is held by Juan Rocha, Jose Guadalupe Ledesma and Manuel Ledesma.
Many Archer Heights residents recall Club Karlov as a neighborhood tavern run by Bruno and Henrietta Kopec, from when they purchased the building in 1972 until Bruno's death in 2001 at age 75.
Additionally, SWCP has learned that Chicago Fire Department inspectors issued several tickets for code violations earlier this week.
Pantoja, who had predicted on the Club Karlov Facebook page that the Noches de Reventon event would be "...ONE HELL OF A BAILE AT CLUB KARLOV!", did not respond to a Southwest Chicago Post request for comment on the shutdown; yet he appeared in good spirits late Friday afternoon. In a message he Tweeted and posted on the Ruben Prestige page on Facebook, regarding a "Back It Up & Juke!" party he is staging tonight at a hookah lounge near Belmont and Laramie, he wrote:
TONIGHT IT'S GOING DOWN MUTHAF~CKAS! EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD OLD FASHION JUKE PARTY THAT DOESN'T GET RAIDED ;)
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Based on this blatant violation of laws and the clientele being attracted, this bar needs to be closed permanently.
ReplyDeletemake some traffic stops for all of the inevitable ridiculous equipment violations on the "clientele" cars, then tow everyone without a license. If Chicago had a $500 administrative tow fee and $150 for the tow company like my town does, you'd be surprised how fast these problems go away. And Chicago could pay and equip their cops properly too.
ReplyDeleteThis is an on going problem at this bar. Petitions were signed years ago stating that we didn't want the bar but it was still sold and they were allowed to buy it. Also complained about all the weddings and other parties held there. Having to watch men urinate in the alley is not a good thing for my grandson or anyone to see! They park all over the neighborhood and people were always outside because they didn't have a working air conditioner. I pray to God that it does not reopen. Enough is Enough!
ReplyDeletethis is Ruben Pantoja... how was i supposed to comment on this article if i was not notified about it and didnt know it existed until now? plus how did i show up on friday on a late afternoon if i stopped going to the bar a week before this happened? FYI i stopped going because due to differences we had to cancel the event before this happened which made the owner think i sent the inspectors to the place but i didnt and i had told him to get the PPA license before we made the event which was one of the reasons we cancelled it because i knew problems like this would occur and i told him about the a/c because that is one of the requirements but anyways hopefully he is able to please the neighbors around the bar and has a successful bar since it has a lot of potential to be a good business but needs to benefit the neighbors first.
ReplyDeleteMr. Pantoja, if you have any events to promote on the SW Side (south of I-55 and west of Central Park), please let us know. We are always interested in promoting events that are fun, well planned and benefit the community.
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