J « • i
u à 6
!
4
4
*
é
I
nnïïîTTTWn^lnews
ts future seems less precarious now, but a
Portland gay bars newfound stability has
not come without a price.
O n Jan. 10, the Oregon Liquor Control
Commission approved a settlement with
Steve Suss, owner of the Embers Avenue, a pop
ular club in Old Town that has been wrapped in
controversy the past few months.
The Embers is located at 110 N.W. Broad
way.
Citing “repeated serious and persistent prob
lems of fights, assaults, large unruly crowds and
intoxicated customers,” the O L C C suspended
the establishments liquor license Sept. 14-
The O L C C ’s mission is to regulate the sale,
distribution, and “responsible use of alcoholic
beverages in order to protect Oregon’s public
health, safety and community livability.”
The suspension notice included the commis
sion’s proposal to permanently cancel the
license, which could have effectively put the
Embers out of business.
In response to the immediate suspension,
Suss met with representatives from the O LC C ,
Portland Police Bureau and city of Portland to
discuss the matter and submitted a plan to
O LC C addressing its concerns.
On Sept. 29, the O LC C lifted the immediate
license suspension after Suss made numerous
concessions to get his business open again.
Those compromises included greatly scaling
back the number of patrons that could be in the
club at any one time, limiting alcohol sales and
assigning more security guards to be monitors, as
well as complete background, reference and
criminal record checks of prospective employ
ees.
Suss’ plan was enough to lift the immediate
suspension, but the proposed cancellation of his
S teadying
Embers Avenue is still advertising New Year’s Eve on its marquee— must be the Y 2K bug
license remained intact. He had until Dec. 14 to
contest O L C C ’s proposal by requesting an
administrative law hearing to try and halt the
final order from taking effect.
But it didn’t come to that. The parties ham
mered out a settlement that requires Suss to
accept a 30-day suspension or pay a civil penal
ty of $ 1 ,950. If Suss opts to pay the civil penal
ty, he has until 5 p.m. Jan. 21 to do so. If he
chooses to serve the suspension, it begins 7 a.m.
Jan. 26 and ends 7 a.m. Feb. 25.
Suss did not return Just Out’s phone calls,
■ Got a juicy tip about news happening in your
neighborhood? C on tact N ew s Editor INGA
S oren sen at (503) 236-1252, ext. 17, or send an
e-m ail to m ga@justout.com .
C
NOT F O R P R O F I T
all organic produce
bulk selection*full grocery line
everyone welcom e!
L
I
N
I
T
I
R
E
S
C
Offering general internal
medicine and excelling
in sexual health care
i
3 0 2 9 S E 2 1 S T AVE.
PORTLAND, OR
Serving the com m unity fo r 1 7 yea.ro
BETWEEN
DIVISION
& POWELL
2330 NW Flanders
Suite 207
( 5 0 3 )2 3 2 - 9 0 5 1
226-6678
a real stereo store
AND
W e stover H eights
PEOPLE,
>orto-
and at press time the O LC C had not yet been
informed of his decision.
According to the agreement, Suss must also
comply with the terms of the plan he submitted
that led to the Sept. 29 lifting of the immediate
suspension.
Additionally, if another major incident
occurs involving the club, the Embers must
agree to stop selling alcohol at 12:30 a.m. (The
club currently can sell alcohol until 2:30 a.m.)
The deal stipulates that “if no such incident
occurs within one year of January 23, 2000, this
WHEEL ALIGNMENTS
SIN CE 1 9 7 0 : FOOD F O R
Cc,\ b
S hip
It looked like sink or swim time for the Embers Avenue—
swim it is if all goes according to plan by Inga Sorensen
A COMMUNITY RUN NATURAL FOODS STORE
>
the
portion of the settlement agreement will expire
on that date.”
The Embers could be dubbed a “Queer
Cheers.” Drag shows are a mainstay attraction,
and the Imperial Sovereign Rose Court has con
gregated there for decades, holding most of its
events at the roomy site, which features five full
bars, a large hardwood dance floor, a mirrored
catwalk overlooking the main floor, and high-
tech lighting.
For a time, the spot served as home to
Esther’s Pantry, which assists people living with
HIV/AIDS.
During the early years, the Embers drew a
primarily gay clientele. Folks would watch the
drag shows or relax with a beer.
"I’m a gay man, always have been, never
wanted to be anything else,” Suss told Just Out
back in September.
“I turned (the Embers] gay on March 24 at
8 a.m. I remember it clearly,” he said of that
moment 28 years ago.
In recent years, however, an increasingly
heterogeneous and rowdy mix has poured into
the club, and sporadic violence in or near the
Embers has become a problem that O L C C offi
cials have dubbed “a very critical situation.”
In an effort to keep the club out of trouble,
Suss has, among several other concessions,
agreed that security personnel will “conduct fre
quent random patrols” of the area immediately
surrounding the Embers Avenue, any and all
drink specials will be eliminated, and a breatha
lyzer machine will be purchased.
2 4 5 4 E. BU RN SID E
PO RTLA N D , O R 9 7 2 1 4
for real music lovers
... because music matters.
A smart financial plan
Fam ily Owned
& Operated
Since 1952
2627 N.E. Broadway/Portland/ 280-0910
www.stereotypesaudio.com
New
Millennium...
Same
Commitment
begins with just 7 numbers:
2 3 8 -6 0 3 6
Eric Brown
District M an ag er
5 0 0 N E M ultnom ah Portland, O R 9 7 2 3 2
5 0 3 /2 3 8 -6 0 3 6
WADDELL
REED
The p eop le with a plan f o r you.
Bridgetown Realty wishes you a
very happy and healthy 2000 We
- - r e n e w our commitment to provide
j l g | you with the highest level of
r
r? proiess,onal real es,ate service
v
‘
503/287-9370 • www.bridgetownrealty.com