MONROE - Licenses for Old Smokey's, a tavern on Monroe's Smokey Row, came through Common Council Tuesday night without a hitch.
The council granted the establishment a dance license and a class B beer and liquor license without a dissenting vote.
Larry Gordon, the new owner of Old Smokey's at 1301 17th St., sold his Cash's Bar and Grill in Argyle, the proceeds of which are sitting in escrow to complete the purchase on Jan. 29, according to his attorney Todd Schluesche.
Jeffrey "Twitty" Conway, the previous owner, surrendered the liquor license to the city, said Carol Stamm, city clerk. Conway is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 30 on felony charges of helping run a gambling operation using the bar as the drop-off and pick-up location for money won or owed.
Gordon's application was in order, Stamm told the License Committee, and "he even signed that no one else had any interest in the business." No other applications for a liquor license were on file, she added.
Schluesche confirmed for City Attorney Rex Ewald and Police Chief Fred Kelley that Gordon is the only member of the limited liability company, Cash's Bar and Grill. Ewald and Kelley had reviewed the application prior to the License Committee meeting.
"It's 100 percent Larry," Schluesche said. "Conway is not, and never will be, in control, ownership or management."
A longtime business owner from Argyle, Gordon said he will be retaining the previous employees and his tavern will employee two full-time and five or six part-time help, as well as himself. He plans to keep the Old Smokey's name and to operate the tavern as it has been run, with 99 percent of sales coming from alcohol, and bands, DJs and special events offered as entertainment.
The council granted the establishment a dance license and a class B beer and liquor license without a dissenting vote.
Larry Gordon, the new owner of Old Smokey's at 1301 17th St., sold his Cash's Bar and Grill in Argyle, the proceeds of which are sitting in escrow to complete the purchase on Jan. 29, according to his attorney Todd Schluesche.
Jeffrey "Twitty" Conway, the previous owner, surrendered the liquor license to the city, said Carol Stamm, city clerk. Conway is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 30 on felony charges of helping run a gambling operation using the bar as the drop-off and pick-up location for money won or owed.
Gordon's application was in order, Stamm told the License Committee, and "he even signed that no one else had any interest in the business." No other applications for a liquor license were on file, she added.
Schluesche confirmed for City Attorney Rex Ewald and Police Chief Fred Kelley that Gordon is the only member of the limited liability company, Cash's Bar and Grill. Ewald and Kelley had reviewed the application prior to the License Committee meeting.
"It's 100 percent Larry," Schluesche said. "Conway is not, and never will be, in control, ownership or management."
A longtime business owner from Argyle, Gordon said he will be retaining the previous employees and his tavern will employee two full-time and five or six part-time help, as well as himself. He plans to keep the Old Smokey's name and to operate the tavern as it has been run, with 99 percent of sales coming from alcohol, and bands, DJs and special events offered as entertainment.