Kosciusko County Alcohol and Tobacco Commission members renewed the liquor license for Stimmelator’s Thursday after ensuring former owner Sam Stimmel has nothing to do with the club anymore.
New owner Dharmesh Patel assured the board that Stimmel doesn’t own the property and is no longer involved in the business. The Goshen hotel owner came to own the North Webster strip club in February, about two months after it was purchased from Stimmel by a Nappanee man for close to $1 million.
Patel also assured the board he intends to cooperate with police whenever a disturbance breaks out at the club. But he said he had no knowledge of a violation the club received in July, for buying alcohol from somewhere other than a wholesaler, saying it happened under a manager who has since been fired.
The club is currently operating under a three-month extension after its license expired Sept. 10. The club had to close until the extension took effect Sept. 17, Patel said, though state Excise Officer April Tackett remarked that he didn’t mention that when she asked him if the club had been closed recently.
Board members voted to renew the license, reasoning that the state would not approve renewal or further extension if the fine isn’t paid.
Also Thursday, the board voted to postpone renewal consideration for Service Liquors East, Warsaw, when owner Jo Lynn Likens was unable to present paperwork showing she paid the fines for a smoking sign violation in spring; and they renewed the license for Susie’s Sandbar, Warsaw, after hearing about violations it received in July for failure to post gambling rules and not having certain paperwork on file.
They also approved a license transfer for Applebee’s, Warsaw, which was recently bought from Apple Sauce Inc. by RMH Franchise Corp. along with 32 other regional locations.
The following licenses had no violations and were renewed together:
• Eagle Creek Farms Market, Winona Lake
• Lakeview Liquors, Silver Lake
• Good to Go #95, Warsaw
• Silver Inn Tavern, Silver Lake
• Wawasee Bowling Lanes, Syracuse
(Story By The Times Union)
