LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The future for one highly scrutinized Louisville bar remains up in the air as a hearing with the Metro's Alcoholic Beverage Control unit looms.
Cafe 360 is set to meet with the Metro ABC on Aug. 8, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Codes & Regulations. That's to discuss the city's proposal for the business to forfeit its 2 a.m. liquor license, which would cut off alcohol sales at midnight.
Codes & Regulations says Cafe 360's owners will have until Aug. 15 to respond to the city's request, either to agree to it or offer a counter resolution.
Cafe 360 has been the target of complaints from several residents along Bardstown Road, particularly since a deadly shooting broke out inside the bar in March. Soon after, the business voluntarily decided not to serve alcohol between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m., following city officials' effort to suspend their liquor license.
Earlier this month, Metro ABC says it substantiated complaints of a "disorderly premises and other violations" made against both Cafe 360 and Afrokanza Lounge, which closed permanently last week -- avoiding a hearing with Metro ABC.
Both businesses received notices of a “criminal activity nuisance violation" in June.
“We have referred these cases to Code Enforcement to ensure both establishments comply with local regulations.” ABC Director Brad Silveria said in a statement to WHAS11 in June.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, people living in the Highlands of Louisville and nearby neighborhoods got the chance to address overall concerns in a public meeting with code enforcement officials.
Residents cited their own experiences with nuisance properties, noise complaints and short-term rentals taking over, asking what authorities are doing to ensure the area remains orderly -- and how they address bad actors.
"We go out there, and we give them notice to make sure that they get it corrected," said Code Enforcement Supervisor Bjorn Stengel.
Stengel said in 2023 alone, Codes & Regs served 20,857 violation notices.
At the meeting, Ray Brundige described his anxiety stemming from specific property owners who live in other areas of town and aren't held accountable for businesses or buildings that aren't meeting the standard.
"There were times when the Original Highlands were really, really in bad shape because of the bars," Brundige said. "When they first started having 4 o'clock hours and so on, things got very bad for a while. They improved, and they slipped again."
Brundige and others are keeping the pressure on Metro Government to hear their concerns and act upon them.