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Thursday, April 9, 2009

City Want To Buy A Bar That's (Allegedly) Infested By Crack Dealers?

Posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on Thu, Apr 9, 2009 at 10:43 AM

The owners of the Rose Garden bar in Lake City Way have apparently decided to sell their business, rather than fight the city's attempts to shut down the bar. 9987/1239298874-cityfollow-click.jpg

According to Seattle Police, the Rose Garden—located in the neighborhood referred to by police as "Little Beirut" on Lake City Way—had become a dangerous haven for drug dealers in the area. In 2008, police responded to 10 different assaults at the Rose Garden, including one incident where a patron was ejected and later returned to the bar with an axe. Undercover narcotics officers also made several visits to the bar and were able to purchase crack from customers and one employee at the Rose Garden.

Neighbors have pointed to the bar as a source of problems in the area, and last week, the city filed an objection to the Rose Garden's liquor license renewal. Rather than appeal the city's decision, the bars owners—one of whom is a Drug Enforcement Agency agent—have put the property up for sale.

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From the listing:

Available immediately. Ideal for restaurant or retail. 73 feet of frontage along busy Lake City Way. Seller financing with substantial down.

Currently vacant. Used to be the Rose Garden Lounge, but the city will not grant a liquor license. High visibility. Ideal for restaurant or retail. Sellers will consider financing strong buyer

The bar is currently priced at $400,000.

UPDATE: There's some concern in the neighborhood that a buyer could simply assume control of the Rose Garden and keep running a problem bar. However, according to Assistant City Attorney Ed McKenna, "[they] can certainly attempt to sell the license, but it is highly likely the city would oppose anyone who was going to assume the liquor license."

McKenna says that as far the city's concerned, the Rose Garden is "so entrenched with criminal activity that it is unlikely any [buyer] would be able to control" any criminal activity there.

Photos by Kelly O

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Comments (18) RSS

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A restaurant without a liquor license is going to do REAL WELL there. Same with retail. That strip is pretty rough, and there's nothing nice nearby.

Posted by Fnarf on April 9, 2009 at 10:47 AM

400,000? That seems pretty cheap, even for a crack house!

Posted by sepiolida on April 9, 2009 at 10:48 AM

It's not a crack house, it's a crack HOME.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on April 9, 2009 at 10:54 AM

One of the owners is a DEA agent? Seriously?

Posted by TVDinner on April 9, 2009 at 10:57 AM

@3: Do they have a knit crackpipe cozy? I think that, above all else, makes a crack house a crack home. You have to feel rooted, safe and secure, and this extends to your crackpipe.

Posted by Baconcat on April 9, 2009 at 10:59 AM

So we have a crack house (Rose Garden) and a whore house (Exotic Tan) right next door to each other. They had so much potential. Tragic.

Posted by Jon Brock on April 9, 2009 at 11:01 AM

@5
That and doilies!
I actually stole the crack house/crack home from the Onion:
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/338…

Posted by Urgutha Forka on April 9, 2009 at 11:09 AM

I thought X-otic Tan went out of business?

Posted by Fnarf on April 9, 2009 at 11:32 AM

You know, in east WA you get a Crack Mansion for that kind of money.

Posted by The Amazing Jim on April 9, 2009 at 11:34 AM

@8—

It did.

Posted by jonahsl on April 9, 2009 at 11:42 AM

You wanna buy some crack?

Posted by Rose Garden bartender on April 9, 2009 at 12:20 PM

My bandmates and I had a drink there once. It was beyond surreal.

Posted by T-Bone on April 9, 2009 at 12:37 PM

The sign seems to suggest that "illegal drugs/transactions" are OK in their restrooms, at the bar, and near the pull-tab machines (goes without saying). The lounge, however... hey, bring the whole family.

Posted by Dougsf on April 9, 2009 at 12:47 PM

Maybe there's a reason this guy isn't with the DEA any more?

Posted by Rose Garden bartender on April 9, 2009 at 1:08 PM

They should hire the Swayze to come in and clean that joint the fuck up.

Posted by bronkitis on April 9, 2009 at 1:11 PM

@14, where did you get the idea he's no longer a DEA agent? The post says "is".

Posted by Fnarf on April 9, 2009 at 1:31 PM

The location is TERRIBLE. It doesn't have a parking lot (at least not out front), but isn't a short walk from anything else.

I bike past there often, and the clientele always freaked me out.

Posted by dwight moody on April 9, 2009 at 2:00 PM

@14, I apologize for @16. The post says "is" but the article says "retired". I was wrong.

Posted by Fnarf on April 9, 2009 at 3:59 PM