Sports Bar Fighting For Its License
The City of Lakewood cites an increase in crime around or near Jumbo’s Sports Bar and Grill (6111 W Colfax Ave), leading to increased emergency service calls. The City cites this increase as a reason to suspend the bars liquor license. Others point to the regular crime rate along Colfax as the source for crime. Jumbo’s owner, Tanesha Howard, argues they are the victims of crimes that Lakewood will not investigate.
Some neighbors have complaints over alleged license irregularities. A State investigation of license irregularities concluded the liquor license allegations were “unfounded”.
Ms. Howard explains that opening the bar actually cleaned up the area and gave good purpose to the property. Robert Vigil, a local resident and supporter, says he looked forward to having a safe place in the community to come to. Jumbo’s routinely feeds the homeless.
According to CBS Colorado, Lakewood’s document calls Jumbo’s “a target for gun violence”, not a perpetrator, enabler or cause of gun violence.
This marks a disturbing trend in Lakewood to penalize property owners for their property not being safe. Recently Lakewood passed a new ordinance for vacant properties, requiring owners to register, pay fees, and potentially be penalized, because their vacant property attracts crime.
Jumbo’s may also be penalized for property location. Fox31 KDVR shows Lakewood City Council Member Springsteen saying, “I’ve read through the allegations from the City and I did not see specific circumstances when people from this establishment were causing gun violence that you don’t see anywhere else on West Colfax.” Springsteen has been advocating for Jumbo’s since she heard about their problems.
In fact, the business purports being the victim of many crimes and potential acts of sabotage. Mr. Howard explains that the bar was flooded due to what appeared to be a hose on left out on the roof.
Down the street from Jumbo’s there are only a handful of houses for neighbors to complain from. However, these neighbors have been active and have provided the City with video footage and verbal complaints to show people in the parking lot after 2 AM, arguing that means the business is open after legal hours.
There are also new, high-density apartment buildings that brought plenty of new neighbors to the block, but not to complain. Local resident and neighbor Alex Johnson says, “It seems like there are bigger issues out there than beating on a mom and pop shop.” He says he’s tried to go to Jumbo’s but it was shut down. He would like a bar and grill within walking distance.
Recently the restaurant was served with a Notice of Violation in a TikTok video that went viral. The Rocky Mountain NAACP is now involved. Portia Prescott, President of RMNAACP, has issued a Call to Action to Lakewood’s Mayor Paul to encourage small business like Jumbo’s. She argues that Colfax is a known problem area for crime, saying, “If you want to talk crime, I can literally walk, what, 20 feet and see crime.”
Tyrone Glover, a Chair with the RMNAACP Legal Redress Team says, “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our community.” He calls for Lakewood Police to assist with investigations, rather than requiring burdensome records requests.
State investigations found no subsequent problem with serving liquor without a license or serving those underage, although the allegations still haunt Jumbo’s. Ms. Howard says, “[the police] never asked where they got the liquor.” An obvious oversight with a liquor store next door and a public intoxication being common in the area.
Jumbo’s lost their license just before the NBA finals. They stayed open to serve food, and Ms. Howard feels like that was the basis for allegations that they continued to sell alcohol. She emphatically states Jumbo’s never sold alcohol after that time.
Another local resident and neighbor says he’s never known Jumbo’s to be especially loud or troublesome. Against the backdrop of the normal crime on Colfax, there seemed to be a lot questions as to why Lakewood is linking Jumbo’s to crime “in the area” and whether Jumbo’s was the unacknowledged victim of said crime. There is also the outstanding question of whether the neighbor complaints represent the entire neighborhood.
Jumbo’s will have a public hearing August 29 for all interested parties to have a chance to explain why Jumbo’s should or should not get their license reinstated.
No one is talking about what would happen if Jumbo’s had to close permanently and the corner would return back to the non-productive state it was in. Jumbo’s Mr. Howard says they are committed to safety and are willing to hire safety officers themselves. Private business having to hire their own security is another upward trend in Lakewood.
“Just let us run our business and make a living without harassing us … I just want the city to work with me instead of against me”
Tanesha Howard, August 12, 2023
