City closes Jack’s Executive Bistro » Urban Milwaukee

After two years of frequent complaints about noise and litter, a security shootout finally ensued, leading to the closure of Jack’s Executive Bistro.

The Milwaukee City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to close the nightclub at 4923 W. Villard Ave., following a recommendation from the Milwaukee Licensing Commission.

The shooting, one of 27 incidents detailed in a police report involving the business, occurred early on the morning of New Year’s Eve.

Councilwoman JoCasta Zamarripa called the incident “egregious” and “unacceptable” during a July 12 renewal hearing, where board members heard testimony from a person who was caught in the crossfire of an altercation between security guards and a group of disgruntled patrons.

“I’m still struggling with this,” said the victim, who identified herself as Dynasty“When I came out of the bathroom — my aunt and I — there were gunshots everywhere. I ran for my life, so whether the bullets hit me from the inside or the outside, we haven’t determined yet. But my lawyers will do that.”

Dynasty suffered gunshot wounds to both legs and said she fell to the ground inside the venue at about 1 a.m. “Nobody there helped me.”

Her aunt, a registered nurse and employee at Jack’s Executive Bistro, called 911. But the incident had long-lasting effects.

“I still have PTSD and I wear compression stockings every day,” she said, noting that she was forced to take several months of medical leave and is currently attending therapy to deal with the trauma. “I’m still full of rage.”

When Dynasty contacted the owner of the company Anthony Wilks regarding the incident, he did not apologize, she said. “The guy told me, ‘I already have a lawyer.’”

But Wilks had his side of the story. “I’d like to offer my condolences to the lady,” he said. “The conversation didn’t go that way, but it’s OK.”

Wilks told the commission that he was initially sympathetic but lost interest in the conversation because of Dynasty’s “lack of respect.” He also accused her of trying to extort him.

Asked about conversations with police after the shooting, Wilks couldn’t remember. “That was about six months ago,” he said.

He also stated that the bar was closed at the time of the shooting and that Dynasty ran into the building after being shot outside. Dynasty disputed both points.

The police report offered yet another perspective. “The investigation revealed that the victim was shot while standing in the parking lot of the bar,” it said.

However, security cameras at the scene are angled away from the parking lot and failed to capture footage of the incident. It remains unclear how officers reached that conclusion.

According to the report, the security guard who shot Dynasty was not at the scene when police arrived. He was affiliated with DTS Security. Wilks told officers the security guard was an employee but was unable to identify him. Wilks has since hired a new security team.

“If you’re hiring people and you don’t even know who you’re hiring and you can’t keep them in place, that’s really concerning for the way you run your business,” Alderman said. Scott Speaker.

Wilks made his case to commission members, noting that he is still “the new owner of the restaurant industry.”

“I do what I can,” he said. “I just try to run a profitable business and feed my family. That’s all I try to do.”

But that wasn’t enough to convince the councillor of this area. Andrea Pratt which at the time was only a few days after a series of walks around the area, during which she had heard nothing but complaints from residents.

“Every neighbor on our walk was talking about the trash, saying how loud it was when people were coming out, and we even got to the point where the gas station across the street was closed early because customers were coming in to terrorize the gas station.”

“There are houses around his plant,” he testified. Valeria Bentonneighbor. “I’m not sure what world he lives in, but it’s very loud. It’s very loud. I don’t have peace in the house.”

Pratt filed a motion not to renew. There were no objections.

The decision follows a 20-day suspension of the company’s license for 2023, which came after a video surfaced online showing strippers performing in a private party space.

Jack’s Executive Bistro is not licensed to provide adult entertainment.

Wilks said last year that he tries to provide a family-friendly environment. “I absolutely do not allow any strippers or nudity or anything like that in my establishment,” he told commissioners in June 2023. “We are a family restaurant.”

The business opened in 2022 in the Hampton Heights neighborhood. The bar and restaurant offers alcoholic beverages and shisha, as well as a food menu including chicken wings, pizza, sandwiches and burgers, ribs, lasagna, lamb chops and tacos.

Wilks filed written objections to the recommendation before Tuesday’s full council meeting. Attorney Michal Maistelman addressed the council members on his behalf.

“The shooting that occurred at the bar, unfortunately, did not occur inside the bar,” he said. “The victim entered the bar after being shot outside the parking lot, and the owner of the establishment was cooperating with the police investigation.”

Maistelman also argued that “many of the noise complaints” made by neighbors were “unsubstantiated or undocumented” and said the council had failed to implement progressive discipline.

Full council voted unanimously against renewing Jack’s Executive Bistro’s license, effectively closing the business. The closure has been enforced since July 30.

Wilks can file a motion to reopen Jack’s Executive Bistro in a year. He can also file a lawsuit to appeal the decision in court.