JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Vice Unit officers cleared Tipsy Bar and Grill early Sunday morning, citing several employees for allegedly serving alcohol after hours — and when News4JAX arrived at the bar Monday, a second problem was already posted on the front door.
A stop-work order, issued after city inspectors said a recent building addition lacked proper permits, was affixed to the entrance.
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What happened during the early-morning raid
Officers entered the bar around 3 a.m. Sunday, according to a woman who said she was inside celebrating her birthday weekend. She asked not to be identified.
“Everything was nice vibe, nice chill setting, and we were just enjoying life — and then next thing you know we have these police officers, and they just like bum rush the scene,” she said. “We were scared. We didn’t know what was going on.”
She described officers pushing patrons toward the exits. “They just came in, pushing everyone and telling them get out, get out — everyone gets out, it’s a raid, get out.”
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confirmed its Vice Unit responded to the bar and issued Notices To Appear to several employees for their role in the “sale or dispensing of alcoholic beverages after hours.” News4JAX has requested the incident report to determine how many employees were cited.
A building violation adds to the bar’s troubles
Beyond the after-hours alcohol allegations, city inspectors flagged an unpermitted building addition at the property. The resulting stop-work order was posted on the front door when News4JAX visited Monday.
News4JAX reached out to the owner of Tipsys for comment on both the weekend raid and the building notice. As of this report, we had not received a response.
A history of incidents at the nightclub
This is not the first time Tipsys has drawn attention from law enforcement. Months ago, three people — including a security guard — were shot during a fight inside the bar. Investigators later arrested Khamari Graham on attempted murder charges in connection with that case.
‘Limited options’ in Jacksonville’s urban neighborhoods
The woman who spoke with News4JAX said she is frustrated — not just with the bar’s troubles, but with what she described as a lack of entertainment options in Jacksonville’s urban communities.
“It’s hardly anything for us to do in Jacksonville, especially in the urban neighborhoods,” she said. “We have limited options. We try to go to the park, they shut down the park. You have a little meetup, they try to shut that down — so it’s really nothing to do here. The little entertainment that we do have, we try to take advantage of that and enjoy it.”
For now, the stop-work order remains posted on the front door of Tipsys Bar and Grill, and it is unclear when or whether the business will reopen.