LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Bardstown Road bar has closed after months of investigation into late-night violence and complaints from area residents.
Afrokanza Lounge near Louisville’s Highlands neighborhood announced on social media Monday that it will close immediately.
The post to customers said, “after four years of serving the community, we have made the difficult decision to close our doors.” The hall thanked customers and employees for their support.
A statement released Monday afternoon by Louisville Alcoholic Beverage Control said, “Afrokanza Lounge has voluntarily closed following multiple violations with Louisville Metro ABC. We recognize their effort to address compliance issues and to be a neighbor of responsive to the community. We look forward to the pre-hearing conference on August 6 to further address these concerns. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of the public.”
Afrokanza Lounge, along with nearby Café 360, were referred to city code enforcement after a shooting behind bars at 3 a.m. July 2023 killed one person and left two others injured.
Another person was shot and killed – also at around 3am – at Café 360 on March 4 this year. Four days later, Café 360 voluntarily surrendered its liquor license for six months.
Distress and abatement signs were placed on the June evening at both venues. A source told WDRB last month that undercover investigators discovered the bars had been serving alcohol later than their liquor license allowed. A Louisville Liquor Control investigation also found the bars did not have adequate security and did not prohibit patrons from bringing weapons inside.
Nearby neighbors thought Café 360 was in trouble only because of Afrokanza Lounge.
“I really think Café 360 got a really bad rap for that. Of course they opened too late as Afrokanza didn’t help, people would go from Afrokanza and hang out there for a couple of hours,” said Chris Whigham, who lives next door. establishment. “Maybe it enabled him a little bit, but it wasn’t their fault by any means.”
Whigham’s Ring doorbell video captured large crowds outside Afokanzas dancing and fighting. It also captured people running after the shooting inside Café 360.
“Café 360, things happen there because it was a late-night place where people could go after Afrokanza closed,” said Luke Rondot, general manager at Public House Highlands.
Whigham and Rondot both saw the closure of Afrokanza as a positive. Whigham said it will keep him in the Highlands longer than expected.
“Over the last few months we were always thinking about moving, but now I think we’re going to stay a little longer,” Whigham said.
Rondot said the violence cost the Public House customers. He hopes the closure will mean those people will return.
“Hopefully if they close now, the next two to three months will get us back to where we were before,” Rondot said. “We lost some of our local regulars who didn’t want to deal with some of them, you know, it’s scary. People have died, they’ve been robbed.”
A statement released by Richard Price, director of Codes and Regulations on Monday, said his department is committed to working with police and others to prioritize safety.
“We want business owners to know that we will not tolerate violations and are committed to maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and welfare in our community,” Price said.
Metro Councilman Ben Reno-Weber thanked ABC and Codes & Regulations for helping enforce compliance in District 8. “While I value our local businesses and am committed to supporting them, their operations should not be harmed of the residents who live here.”
“If you’re not going to operate responsibly with the licenses you have, we need to take those licenses away,” Reno-Weber said in an interview with WDRB. “I think that led us to them making the decision they did, they weren’t going to be able to operate the business the way they envisioned.”
Nearby residents have complained for months that late-night partying at those bars led to fearful neighbors following violent incidents.
In August 2023, hundreds of neighbors fed up with the violence gathered at a local church to voice their concerns. That’s when city officials announced that ABC and Louisville Metro Police will increase patrols in the area.
“We’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to be aggressive with the maintenance code, with the nuisance regulation, and we want to make sure businesses comply with it,” Price told WDRB Monday.
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