Batavia aldermen OK liquor licenses for comedy club, beauty salon

BATAVIA – The Batavia City Council approved four liquor licenses, two for brick-and-mortar businesses and two for special events, during a meeting Aug. 16.

One each of those licenses will go to The Comedy Vault, 18 E. Wilson St.

Michael Knuth, owner of the EvenFlow entertainment venue in Geneva, plans to open the comedy club in the historic Batavia National Bank building, using the bank vault as the bar service area.

Police Chief Dan Eul said issuance of the liquor license is contingent on the club obtaining an occupancy permit from the city’s Community Development Department.

That clearly will not happen anytime soon.

A casual glance inside the building reveals that plenty of work remains before the club will be in a position to open. The space is being renovated to hold about 100 patrons.

The council voted to grant Knuth a special-event liquor permit for Aug. 27-29 to host a “Batavia Nights” outdoor music event in conjunction with the Windmill City Festival.

The event will be in the expansive parking lot behind the bank building and the other businesses that line the first block of East Wilson Street.

The parking lot is located along the first block of South River Street (Route 25) and abuts the eastern shore of the Fox River.

Eul said the parking lot will be cordoned off and the operator will provide staff at the entry and exit points to ensure that alcoholic beverages remain within the event area.

Police officers will be present to provide security, Eul said.

The permit approved by the council will allow alcohol sales from 6 to 11 p.m. Aug. 27, noon to 11 p.m. Aug. 28 and noon to 8 p.m. Aug. 29.

Aldermen also approved a plan to close off vehicle traffic on the first block of Webster Street, between Route 25 and the river, during the event.

The second brick-and-mortar liquor license approved by the council is for the J DeCarlo Salon and Spa, 139 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31).

The liquor license for the beauty salon is the first to be issued under a new boutique business classification, Eul said, noting that alcohol sales must be only supplemental to the main business activity.

Finally, the council approved a special-event permit allowing alcohol sales for the Downtown Block Party on Sept. 5 in the first block of North River Street.

The annual event is hosted by Batavia MainStreet and attracts large crowds to the brick street, which is closed to vehicle traffic for the summer.

The permit for outdoor alcohol sales is being issued to four vendors who already hold liquor licenses in the city.

Those vendors are Melissa Monno of the Sidecar Supper Club, 12 N. River St.; John Hamel of Bar Evolution, 27 N. River St.; Mark Hogan of Wilson Street Tavern, 105 E. Wilson St.; and John With of Gammon Coach House, 3 S. Batavia Ave.

Liquor service will run from 4 to 9 p.m. Sept. 5, Eul said.

Batavia MainStreet staff will monitor points of entry and exit to ensure that alcoholic beverages are contained to the festival area, the chief said, while police officers will be on hand to provide security.

Mayor Jeff Schielke, who serves as the city’s liquor control commissioner, told aldermen he would like them to undertake a review of the city’s liquor license classifications.

“I like to keep them in sharp order so that there are no shenanigans,” Schielke said.