After the R’ Place bar on South Park Street ignited controversy for the past several months, ultimately resulting in the city mandating the establishment’s closure, regular patrons and city officials are questioning the next steps for the bar and its owner.

After a shooting outside R’ Place injured three during the weekend of Sept. 23, a Dane County judge ordered the bar closed. The bar’s liquor license was revoked Oct. 4 by a city committee, but R’ Place owner Rick Flowers maintained his fight is not over.

A court date set for Oct. 20 is the next step for Flowers, who decided to file suit in hopes of having the revocation overturned.

In the run up to the case, a “for sale” sign was posted in front of the establishment at 1821 S. Park Street late last week. The sign said the property being sold is .46 acres.

“I have to keep [the fight] going,” Flowers said.

Flowers remains concerned about the “assassin” who was responsible for the recent shooting at his bar. He said the police and media have not conducted a full investigation on the shooter.

From Sept. 25: R Place on Park ordered closed after shooting.

With R’ Place forced to close its doors, Flowers said police and city officials will have lost its “scapegoat” to place blame on for violence that he said will continue to occur even after the bar is closed.

Flowers contends the recent actions against the bar violate his constitutional rights, which he has long insisted is a core issue in the nearly yearlong battle.

Ald. Brian Solomon, District 10, said the closing of R’ Place will have an adverse effect on minorities in Madison. R’ Place has long been known as a gathering place in the city for members of the black community.

Solomon said minority entrepreneurs are out of business and, with the closing of R’ Place, an important cultural gathering center is gone.

Solomon acknowledged there were problems at R’ Place, but said closing down the bar will have no impact on the levels of violence on the south side.

He said many white members of the community considered the bar to be a safe place in town and said it was unfortunate that a small amount of troublemakers caused the closing of a place many citizens considered home.

“It’s really a shame,” Solomon said.

Solomon contended the city needed to find a new way to reach out to ownership and find a way to allow for more places for black people to gather.

Assistant City Attorney Jennifer Zilavy was unavailable for comment.