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Officials discuss proposed tavern

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Also by Courtney Johnson:

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by Courtney Johnson

Friday, April 13, 2007

Madison might be getting a new bar this July on West Main Street next to Genna's Bar — if a proposed liquor license is approved by the Alcohol License Review Committee next Wednesday.

Roughly 40 members of the Madison community attended a meeting Thursday night at the Madison Senior Center where they were able to voice any concerns about the establishment to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, and Glenn Johns, owner of the Shamrock Bar and owner of the potential bar "111 West."

The proposal calls for an establishment that would be part-bar, part-lounge and part-restaurant. The bar would be located in a space that has been vacant for nine years.

"I would characterize the meeting tonight as being mixed in terms of positive and negative comments made about the proposal," Verveer said. "There were a lot of folks that wanted the proposal and said that it's a great mix — it's an establishment that would likely not cause many problems because of the strong management and track record of the current owner."

Verveer said that, on the other side, some residents were concerned about the density of liquor licenses in the area. The proposed site is next to other alcohol-serving establishments, such as the Shamrock, the Tornado Room, Genna's and Adair's Lounge.

"Madison Police Department representatives at the meeting stated that the area does not have any police problems — in comparison to State Street or University Avenue," Verveer said. "It's relatively quiet despite the presence of many liquor licenses."

The city of Madison is currently considering a ban on granting liquor licenses to new bars in the downtown area, and Mayor Dave Cieslewicz has spoken in support of the proposal.

Despite neighborhood concern, University of Wisconsin junior John Sinclair expressed interest in a new nightclub in the Main Street and King Street area — particularly one that has a different atmosphere than establishments located closer to campus.

"I think that would be cool — the more venues that you get to choose from the better," Sinclair said. "It would be nice to have somewhere else to hang out, and it might be more relaxing than some of the other establishments on campus."

There was no formal vote taken at Thursday's meeting. The ALRC will hear Johns' proposal Wednesday, and will decide whether to grant his establishment a liquor license.

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