JACKSONVILLE, Fla – A Jacksonville bar that was raided over alleged after-hours alcohol sales and has been linked to reports of crime is now under review by the city’s Public Nuisance Abatement Board.
The board reviewed the case involving Tipsy Bar and Grill during a meeting Thursday, nearly three months after city inspectors posted a stop-work order at the business. The order cited a building addition that officials said lacked the proper permits.
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Tipsy has remained closed since then, according to people who work near the bar along Edgewood Avenue. But officials said the business could eventually reopen if it meets a series of requirements designed to improve safety and bring the property into compliance.
The board’s case involves Tipsy Bar & Grill, Tipsy Bar & Grill 1 Inc. and/or 243 Edgewood Ave. South, LLC, which owns or is associated with the property at 243 Edgewood Ave. S.
A nearby business owner, who asked not to be identified, said the closure has meant less cleanup for surrounding businesses.
“We don’t have to clean up anymore,” the business owner said.
The owner said the problems previously extended beyond Tipsy’s property, particularly on weekend nights.
“I pick up liquor bottles. I pick up needles. I pick up condoms. I’ll pick up all kinds of trash on both sides of the road,” the owner said.
The business owner also described trash along the I-10 and Edgewood Avenue area.
The concerns came after a series of incidents and complaints connected to the bar and surrounding area, including shootings, attempted murder cases, burglaries, crashes and allegations of alcohol being served after hours.
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Lt. Douglas Molina, who works in community engagement, said the location had generated dozens of calls for service.
“Last year, it was 65 in 25, and we’re already at 43 this year, probably closing, said Molina.
In June, JSO’s Vice Unit cleared Tipsy during an early-morning raid tied to alleged after-hours alcohol sales. JSO said several employees received Notices to Appear for allegedly selling or dispensing alcoholic beverages after hours, according to a previous News4JAX report.
City inspectors also posted a stop-work order after identifying an unpermitted building addition. The owner did not respond to News4JAX’s request for comment at the time.
Molina said Tipsy’s representatives are now working toward reopening while following requirements established through the nuisance-abatement process.
“Now they’re in the process of working to open back up,” Molina said. “And what we do with the Sheriff’s Office is ensure that they’re following the guidelines that we establish under the Public Nuisance Abatement Board.”
The goal, Molina said, is to protect people who visit the business and those who live and work nearby.
“To ensure that the safety of the people who come there and the people around the establishment is safe,” he said.
During Thursday’s meeting, city leaders, JSO representatives, Tipsy’s property manager and the business’s attorney presented information about the property and discussed ways it could improve inside and outside.
Tyrona E. Clark-Murray, the city council representative for District 9, said she is not opposed to the business reopening if it can operate safely, but she is not encouraged by a reopening without meaningful changes.
“I’m not encouraged to have them reopen if they cannot operate safely,” Murray said.
Murray said Jacksonville needs safe places for people to gather and enjoy themselves.
“Here in Jacksonville, we’ve got to learn how to have a good time and gather together, and everyone goes home the same way they came,” she said.
She also said she has met with homeowners near Tipsy and is working with JSO to address their concerns about crime in the area.
“I also want the homeowners that are in proximity to Tipsy to know that once again I met with them and I’m acting on their concerns and I am doing my very best working with JSO to help bring crime down in District 9,” Murray said.
The board and JSO said Tipsy must comply with long-term requirements before reopening. Those requirements include passing code-enforcement inspections and securing the necessary city licenses and approvals.
