Eden Bar & Grill Liquor License Vote Removed From Council Agenda

JOLIET — Joliet Mayor and Liquor Commissioner Terry D'Arcy had urged his fellow City Council members to reject a liquor license transfer at the Eden Bar and Grill, 926 Gardner Ave., but at Monday night's pre-council meeting, city manager Beth Beatty announced that the liquor license was being removed from Tuesday night's regular meeting.

Beatty did not inform the Council why the liquor license was being pulled from the meeting agenda. And on Sunday, for the first time in over a month, an announcement was posted on the Eden's Bar and Grill Facebook page, notifying its followers that Eden's Bar remains open and "no we are not closing."

The documents shared with the Council in preparation for the liquor license transfer vote stated, "the subject business is located in a standalone facility building at the northeast corner of Gardner Street and Doris Avenue. It was most recently occupied by Eden Bar & Grill and has contained a restaurant use for many years."

Additionally, the City Council was advised that during the past 12 months, Joliet police have had 22 calls for service to the location "including several serious crimes ... Joliet Police Department asks that this application be denied."

The proposed liquor license transfer would have gone to Imad Mosbah, who wanted to rename the property at 926 Gardner Street and call it the Tony Bar and Grill, according to city documents. The mayor's liquor commission documents indicate that Mosbah has 15 years of experience in the sales and service of alcoholic beverages, and he is not a convicted felon.

Retired Joliet Police Detective and Joliet City Councilman At Large Joe Clement told Joliet Patch on Tuesday morning he is still hoping the liquor license transfer resolution returns to the Council for a vote in the near future.

"I would like to hear more information. The city has the tools to discipline any liquor license holder in the city," Clement told Patch. "The new owner, if he has a clean background, I would like to give that person a chance. I would hope (the resolution) does not die. If this guy has a clean record, I don't understand why we would not give him a chance.

"I would like to see it come back," Clement continued. "I'll just sit back and see what information comes before us."

On Monday evening, Joliet Patch reached out to Rosemaria DiBenedetto, the city of Joliet's director of communications and media engagement, to learn why the liquor license transfer denial was abruptly pulled off Tuesday night's meeting agenda for a vote.

As of 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Patch has not received any response from city of Joliet officials.