After an outcry from neighborhood leaders, police agreed recently to rescind a recommendation for a restriction on the liquor license transfer at Harlow’s, a nightclub at 2708 J St.
A shooting Aug. 18 spurred some neighbors to act when the license came up for transfer to new owners – with the residents arguing that alcohol sales on the block, which includes several restaurants and bars, were partly responsible for the shooting.
A group of residents have historically opposed alcohol-selling businesses on the block, and one of the most vocal of the group, Vito Sgromo, told police in an Aug. 19 email that he intended to protest the liquor license transfer due to crime in the area.
Sgromo did not reply to a request for comment by publication time.
As a result of the group’s outcry, Sacramento Police Department officials planned to include a recommendation to the Alcoholic Beverage Control that half of all sales at Harlow’s must be food-related as a way to cut back on alcohol consumption.
That restriction, however, was not supported by other residents.
Marshall School/New Era Park Neighborhood Association leaders sent a letter arguing against the 50/50 restriction to police officials last week.
“Harlow’s is a vital link in the continuing development of the local music scene,” the letter states. “Imposing the 50/50 food and alcohol condition will hamper the ability of Harlow’s to make changes necessary to develop into a better business and neighbor.”
Julie Murphy of the neighborhood association said Tuesday that she and other neighbors are in support of Harlow’s as a longtime music venue and agreed that other restrictions related to noise management and security are sufficient.
After hearing from the neighborhood association, police removed the 50/50 requirement from their recommendation to the Alcoholic Beverage Control
“The recommendation we’re putting forward to ABC is all pretty much standard for most of the clubs,” said Lt. Norm Leong, spokesman for the Sacramento Police Department. “Based on the community feedback, the 50/50 recommendation was changed.”
Leong added that police don’t know whether Harlow’s or the other businesses on the 2700 block of J Street contributed to the fatal shooting.
“We don’t know where the parties came from,” Leong said of the shooters and the victim. “It’s likely they were in the area due to the venues, but we don’t know if they came from any of them.”
Below is the letter from the neighborhood association to city officials:
Members of the Board of the Marshall School/New Era Park Neighborhood Association (“Board”) and nearby neighbors of Harlow’s met with Jim Cornett on Saturday, October 20, to discuss his purchase of Harlow’s and our concerns about security and noise management. At that time Tricia Bernhardt, the broker representing the Torza family, informed our Board of a food/alcohol sales requirement the Sacramento Police Department is recommending ABC add as a condition to the license transfer from the Torzas to Jim Cornett and his partners.
We are very supportive and appreciative that the Sacramento Police Department is recommending conditions to the license transfer that will promote security and noise management at Harlow’s. We, however, feel that viewing Harlow’s solely as a "General Eating Place" does not take into consideration the unique nature of Harlow’s as a live music venue for over 30 years. A Condition requiring a 50/50 ratio of food sales to alcohol sales is not appropriate for Harlow’s. The Board and nearby residents supportsthe inclusion of this condition on other restaurant/bar businesses on the 2700 block of J Street, but not at Harlow’s due to its long-standing history as a music venue. For over 30 years, Harlow’s has made a remarkable contribution to the local music scene by promoting local bands and bringing national touring bands to Midtown.
Harlow’s is a vital link in the continuing development of the local music scene. Imposing the 50/50 food and alcohol condition will hamper the ability of Harlow’s to make changes necessary to develop into a better business and neighbor. This one-time exclusion of the food and alcohol sales condition will help preserve and protect a local music treasure. In this challenging economy, the community needs develop creative and innovative solutions to promote this segment of the artistic community.
The Board fully supports the other proposed conditions designed to increase security atHarlow’s and control noise. These issues are the primary concerns of the residents who live in the area immediately adjacent to Harlow’s. We fully endorse the addition of these reasonable conditions to ABC license. The Board appreciates the efforts of the Sacramento Police Department to promote safety, security, and noise reduction in our neighborhood. We also look forward to working with you to develop productive solutions to make Midtown a better place for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
Julie A. Murphy Ed Trujillo George Raya
Co-Chair Co-Chair Board Member
