Skooter’s Roadhouse Shut Down 4 Days For Violation

SHOREWOOD, IL — Skooter’s Roadhouse dodge a New Year’s Eve closure but will be shut down for four days this month for improperly offering drink specials.

The country and western themed Jefferson Street bar offered the specials Dec. 23, according to a statement from the village.

“The mayor in his role of liquor commissioner became aware of this violation on Christmas Day and called a meeting with staff members in order to investigate the information and come to a resolution as how to proceed,” the statement said.

“During the investigation it was discovered that Skooters’ Roadhouse was advertising another special for Dec. 31, also in violation of the code,” the statement said. Mayor Rick Chapman “immediately decided to issue an ‘emergency suspension order’ for the sale of liquor at Skooters’ Roadhouse for the New Year’s Eve event, sighting a dangerous situation for the residents of Shorewood as well as Skooters’ patrons.”

Skooter’s management appealed to the state’s liquor control board, claiming the suspension constituted an “undue hardship on them as well as 45 of their employees who were scheduled to work New Years Eve night,” according to the village.

Skooter’s prevailed but agreed to correct the New Year’s Eve violations, the statement said. The tavern’s managers also accepted a suspension from Jan. 12 through Jan. 16 and the $1,000 fine.

Skooter’s saw its fair of trouble in 2016, starting on New Year’s when a customer threw a bottle at a bartender’s head to get his attention. Minooka mixed martial artist Michael “Wardog” Reid, who was working as a Skooter’s bouncer, and his brother, Nicholas Ventsias, were charged with nearly beating a man to death after a closing time confrontation in the bar parking lot. A Shorewood woman was charged with a barroom stabbing at Skooter’s. A California ice cream man hit a cop at Skooter’s. A Blue Island man allegedly punched a bar bouncer, ran around the neighborhood and then put on a performance at the police station. And even Skooter’s owner supposedly got knocked around by an unruly customer.