SHEBOYGAN, Wisc. — Dave's Who's Inn bar is officially open again after more than a month of being closed.
The owner, Dave Repinski, was fighting conditions imposed on his liquor license, ones he deemed unfair.
Those included:
- No underage persons on the premises
- Prohibit all weapons and use a metal detector on all patrons entering the premises
The conditions never included a timeline.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Dispute over liquor license conditions prompts longtime Sheboygan bar owner to close tavern
”I always had a problem with not having a solid timeline. It was too open-ended," said Sheboygan Alderperson Robert La Fave.
On Monday, the Sheboygan Common Council voted unanimously to remove those conditions.
Repinski was present for the decision and accompanied by a large group of community supporters.
After the cheering stopped, Repinski can be seen trying to speak at the podium, but Mayor Sorenson said he couldn't allow it.
Watch: Sheboygan bar reopens as liquor license restrictions lift
So I wanted to give Repinksi a chance to share his reaction and gratitude.
“Everything came together. I mean, it was just great," he said. “It’s a big thing when a community comes together like this. It’s something. To see it is one thing, to experience it is another.”
Before the council vote went through and the bar shuttered its doors, Repinski's employees were left without pay.
The two I spoke with two weeks ago said they understood the decision because staying open would've meant accepting the license conditions.
“Everybody’s excited. They’re ready to get going," Repinski noted. "It’ll give us a couple of days before the weekend, kind of like a dry run when you first open up a business.”
Repinski is already getting calls about when people can stop by again.
“I have to thank you for coming out here and doing all of this," he said in our interview. "I think you were a key person to this.”
Dave's will be serving food and drinks starting Tuesday as the license restrictions lift.
Going forward, the bar hours are as follows:
Week of August 5-11
- Monday - Thursday: 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Friday - Sunday: 6:00 p.m. - 2:30 a.m.
Week of August 12-18
- Monday - Thursday: 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Friday - Sunday: 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.
Later in fall
- Monday - Thursday: 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
- Friday - Sunday: 6:00 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.
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