BUCKTOWN — The city has revoked the business license belonging to the owner of a troubled Bucktown nightclub that has been closed since a shooting that outraged Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) and neighbors because the venue had only just reopened after a long break after another shooting.
"We are sad that we closed, but it is a big relief because we were perceived as nuisance even though we were there longer than everyone else," said Jonathan Arango, the manager of Los Recuerdos Nightclub and Sports Bar, which is owned by his father, Orlando Arango.
The Arango family moved to Bucktown in 1985 and continues to live above their shuttered business, which they are trying to rent out to a new tenant.
"It was advised to us by our lawyer to not fight for the process of trying keeping the license, so we closed for good, it was voluntary," Arango said.
Los Recuerdos had only recently reopened in September after a 10-month shutdown that occurred after increased city scrutiny after an October 2013 incident in which rapper Slamma was shot six times in front of the club.
The more recent shooting occurred around 1:15 a.m. on Sept. 6. Police sources said a man standing outside the club fired shots into a car containing suspected gang members.
Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) said the club's security guard was standing next to the shooter and did not try to intervene.
Waguespack was not immediately available for comment on the closure, which comes after a series of meetings between the Arango family, community residents and staffers from the city's Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, which had given Orlando a "plan of operation" to reform his business.
Neighbors had complained about people urinating in the alley, drug dealing and prostitution on the nights Los Recuerdos was open.
Steven Anderson, who lives near the club, said on Thursday there has been "a night-and-day difference" since Los Recuerdos closed in September.
"The feeling in the neighborhood is dramatically different, I have not had one person pee on my garage. To see the for lease sign indicates to me that they might prefer being landlords than business owners," Anderson said.
Realtor Stuart Ramirez is trying to find a new tenant for the 3,500-square-foot club.
"It had gotten a lot of interest but mostly from people that want to use the liquor license and the family is not going to sell it. We want to rent it out to a restaurant or a gym, like an MMA gym, insurance agent or lawyer's office," Ramirez said.
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