In an Aug. 19 City Hall community meeting, owners of Soo Liquors promised to continue to work with the community, call police about crime problems in front of their storefront, and security cameras on the exterior of the store at 1420 W. Morse.
The community meeting, hosted by the city’s Dept. of Business Affairs and Licensing (DBAL), was called after the city got a number of written complaints from neighbors regarding loitering, drug sales and public drinking around Soo Liquors. The meeting is the first of at least three meetings where the community and Soo owners come together to discuss crime problems and work to resolve them.
At the hearing, Police Office Rich Heinosch reported that in the last year there were about 30 calls for service to Soo’s at 1420 W. Morse. He also said there were four arrests on the street at the address.
Kevin O’Neil, CAPS Beat 2431 facilitator, noted that there were 84 calls for service for narcotics loitering and drug sales to 1418 W. Morse, the Los Portillos restaurant. Juan Gonzales, the restaurant owner, has aggressively called police about the loitering in front of his establishment and Soo’s Liquor. Soo’s shares an entryway with Los Portillos.
By contrast, only about 25 similar calls for service were logged at 1400 W. Morse, home of the Morse El Liquors in the last year.
O’Neil also reported that recently, the Soo’s management has been attending beat meetings, and have agreed not to sell cheap wines, malt liquor and cheap half pints selling for less than $3. Gonzalez also noted that there has been a recent reduction in loitering. Community members also emphasized the importance of Soo's continuing to abide by the agreement.
Mary Lou Eisenhower, acting director of the DBAL, said there have been no major license violations recently, and that recent investigations, including those looking at illegal sales to minors, came back negative.
Peter Lee, an attorney representing Soo’s, said that sometimes management is afraid to call police for fear it could be used against them in license hearings such as this one. But Eisenhower said that was false, and that a condition of holding a license is that licensees must report criminal activity in and around their place of business.
Eisenhower also asked about security cameras on premises. When told there were four cameras inside, she suggested installing an exterior camera. The manager, Mr. Kim, agreed to do so.
In the end, Soo’s owner and manager agreed to continue attending beat meetings, not to sell the products mentioned above and to install the exterior camera. The next community meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 16 at 11 a.m., in Room 805 at City Hall, LaSalle and Randolph.
