Cassidy WaigandPeoria Journal Star
Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify the next Wardcliffe Neighborhood Association will be held at Empire Lounge.
Community members crowded into the Peoria Liquor Commission on June 3. The typically comfortable room at City Hall was jam-packed, with additional seating to accommodate the crowd.
Most of those gathered were attending to voice support or opposition to a liquor license for Empire Lounge LLC.
This was not the first time the business sought a liquor license. It was not the second, either.
Community concerns thwarted two previous attempts to obtain a liquor license. Both occurred before Empire Lounge – located at 3033 N. Sterling Ave. – opened its doors.
Now open, the most recent request garnered greater community support. However, new concerns and intense disagreements also arose at the June 3 meeting.
Ultimately, the Peoria Liquor Commission voted 3-0 to recommend the request be denied. The matter is now set to go before the Peoria City Council on June 25.
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Unlicensed liquor or an 'outright lie'?
During the meeting, commissioner Scott Jordan referenced a letter from the Peoria Police Department.
The letter by Police Chief Eric Echevarria said co-owner John Sims was found at the establishment with unlicensed liquor in January. The letter went on to say that Sims did not allow Peoria police into the building in April, so it was “unclear if unlicensed alcohol service was occurring yet again.”
Jordan asked owner Brandon Sims, son of John Sims, if the information provided by police was true.
Brandon Sims told commissioners that – from his understanding – nonalcoholic mocktails were being served. He said the business was fined for allowing people inside the building before receiving a Certificate of Occupancy, rather than a liquor related issue.
When asked for comment, liquor investigator Rick Linthicum said he was at Empire Lounge during the January infraction. He said open alcohol was present and later noted this was verified in body camera footage.
During the April incident, Linthicum said there were “occupants inside and the doors were locked,” which also presented a significant safety concern.
“Holding a liquor license is a huge responsibility in the city of Peoria,” Linthicum told the commission, “and to be non-compliant with the police department and defiant against any rules and regulations is not going to set forth a good standard for us to be allowed to continue in that process of issuing a liquor license.”
Linthicum added that although Brandon Sims is listed as the owner, the police department has only ever interacted with his father.
John Sims denied having any alcohol at the business during the January incident – which he noted was a dinner party.
Michael Miller, who said the party was for his mother, told commissioners his mother and other attendees do not drink. Miller said he joined the investigator as he walked through the building and said there were no concerns raised about noticing alcohol. However, Linthicum said police saw alcohol at the bar, and said at the time, both John Sims and Miller acknowledged this.
Regarding the April incident, John Sims denied that there was an issue.
“The police showed up one night at the back door and asked to do a compliance check,” he said, “and I just simply told them, there's no reason to do a compliance check. There's no party or anything else going on, and there's definitely no liquor.”
John Sims told the commission that he would not jeopardize the business by serving alcohol without a license and later called any assertion he would do so “an outright lie.”
Multiple community members expressed confusion over the differing accounts during public comments. Chairwoman Camille Coates asked city attorney Michael Toren to pull up the specific fine to clarify.
After looking into the incident, Toren said the fine was for hosting guests without a Certificate of Occupancy, rather than a liquor-related violation.
"We didn't have evidence of actual sales occurring on the footage, but it appeared that there was liquor on site," Toren said. "We did not proceed with that violation, though."
A council communication included in the City Council's agenda said body camera footage verified that officers discovered beer, hard liquor and wine at the establishment. Linthicum followed up to say that alcohol should not be present at all without a liquor license.
"I believe we addressed this at the end of our last application time with Mr. Sims directly, as I did the night of the first violation: Remain compliant. Follow the rules and regulations. We want to see this happen for you," Linthicum said. "I believe that was the sentiment of all of us, as well as the commission during that time, but clearly, it's not what has happened."
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'A constant fight'
Not contested was the fact that the space hosted a party in January of 2024 before receiving a Certificate of Occupancy − which is required before the public is allowed into the building.
Miller said he did not realize what a Certificate of Occupancy was at the time of the dinner party. He later reiterated that a "lack of understanding" led to the violation.
John Sims told commissioners Empire Lounge has since received its Certificate of Occupancy.
While the Fire Department did not oppose the site application for a liquor license, fire engineer Charlie Perrin told commissioners it "was a constant fight" when it came to life safety issues. He noted that this was "the most difficult process I've had in my eight years as an inspector.
"And I don't like speaking of this," Perrin told commissioners. "However, for me, I need to see good faith in fire and life safety − extremely important to me. And when we have occupancy without a C of O, Certificate of Occupancy, that is a huge, huge issue for me and the fire department for life safety."
Both Perrin and building safety manager Rich Storm said operating without a C of O could have presented a liability. Storm said hosting an event before obtaining the C of O "does not bode well."
In response to Perrin's comments, John Sims said he felt as though he "was held to a different standard when it came to a lot of things that was happening and I spoke out about it.
"So, I didn't make friends because I would speak out about things that I had concerns with," he said.
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'They deserve a chance to have a business'
Forrest Hill Homeowners Association President Bill O’Brien and Dennis Lippert, former Wardcliffe Neighborhood Association president, each expressed opposition previously. Both men again asked commissioners to deny the request.
"We're supportive of Jerk Hut, but we draw the line on the Empire Lounge," O'Brien said. "And so, it's just not meant for this area − for this particular location."
Others who identified themselves as neighborhood or Peoria residents took an opposing stance, however, with some stating that Lippert and O'Brien do not speak for all neighborhood residents.
Patrick Wilmington said there are limited restaurant options in the area and said he wants to dine at a restaurant "where I can see someone that looks like me." He questioned why he should have to travel to the south side of Peoria to eat and enjoy a drink. Others in attendance echoed this sentiment.
"I'm tired of having to go outside of the city of Peoria to say I had a good time," Dwayne Williams said. "That's a shame."
Devon Sydnor and Jackie Petty told commissioners they had each visited Empire Lounge. Both described it as a nice establishment and said if issues do arise, the city could take action.
"If they had a liquor license and they had infractions – bona fide infractions – can’t you take the liquor license away? Can't you close it down?” Petty said. “I don't understand. It does to me sound like there's two sets of standards. And I hate to use the race card, but it sounds like it to me. And that's not right, and I want to go against that. They deserve a chance to have a business."
At the June liquor commission, all three applications were represented by Black owners and operators. The council voted 3-0 to recommend approval for Reservations and Highly Flavored.
Ronald Lee Givens, president of Wardcliffe Neighborhood Association, said the July association meeting would be held at Empire Lounge.
While he said John and Brandon Sims took many steps to address issues, Givens added he had not heard about some of the concerns that were raised during the commission. He said he hopes to “bring all of this together” but also stressed the importance of complying with rules and regulations.
"It looks nasty," he said. "It may not be, but please get along and get in compliance."
In the end, the commission voted 3-0 to recommend denial. Commissioner Jordan said regardless of whether alcohol was present, Sims had allowed guests into the space without a certificate of occupancy.
"To me, that is disrespecting this body, as a recommending body, to come back in here and say, ‘Please give me site approval even though I ignored the previous denials,’" Jordan said. "(That) is rewarding behavior that I don't believe I want to be involved with."
Chairwoman Coates and commissioner Timothy Spears agreed. Coates said her decision was also based on Empire Lounge hosting a gathering without a certificate of occupancy, as life and safety are factors she takes "very seriously."
After the vote, Spears said he hoped to see Empire Lounge comply with regulations so it could eventually reapply.
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