Nouveau Tavern ordered to close temporarily

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Neighbors near Nouveau Tavern in the River North neighborhood have been complaining for some time about noise from the establishment.

On Thursday, a Cook County judge agreed to close the business temporarily due to safety concerns. All the special events planned over the next week are now canceled.

"I don't agree with it, but in order to preserve our right to fight, we needed to take a seven-day closing while we work through this and get a better understanding. I thought it was the best thing to do for Nouveau Tavern," said Teddy Gilmore, Nouveau Tavern.

Attorneys for the City of Chicago would not comment publicly. In a complaint and emergency motion, they allege Nouveau Tavern is a public nuisance with numerous fights, loud music and two incidents of over occupancy. The city took legal action under the Drug and Gang House Ordinance, however, there are no charges of drugs or gang activity.

Nouveau's promotions manager says there has been an unfair focus on their establishment. Gilmore says the issues they face are similar to any business that serves alcohol. The difference, he says, is who owns the business and its clientele. Gilmore says it is one of the few African American-owned bar/restaurants downtown.

Last spring on a busy warm weekend evening, video shows that all the clients and staff were forced out. Officers told management at the time there was an issue with their liquor license, but it turned out there was no problem with their license and the business reopened.

Last summer, someone wrote racist graffiti on the building using the "N" word and writing "go home".

"I don't feel welcome in the city. I feel like, you know, most of the times it would be OK if we were there cleaning the floors and washing the windows. But it becomes an issue and a problem when we have ownership. And that's a serious problem that Chicago has to address," Gilmore said.

More than a dozen police officers showed up to testify against Nouveau Tavern on Thursday.

Nouveau management plans to call witnesses on their behalf next Thursday when the judge hears arguments about whether or not to reopen the business.

Nouveau is in Alderman Brendan Reilly's ward. He has not responded to ABC7's calls.