Drinks on Tap at Aces Comedy Club for Time Being

A hearing on a citizen's attempt to block a new Murrieta venue from selling alcohol could take up to six months to occur, an official said.

In the meantime, is in its third week of It can now serve up the drinks, too, at least temporarily.

"The Department (of Alcoholic Beverage Control) is recommending the approval of the license but the appeal still has to have its day in court," said Matthew Hydar, investigations supervisor for ABC, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

A four-month interim permit was granted to Aces, which was welcome news for co-owner Rocky Osborn. Prior to Thursday's 7 p.m. show, the bar was being stocked. It was to be the first night the club served alcoholic beverages.

"We are full-fledged, up and operating, 100 percent," Osborn said, noting the club could now serve beer and wine, and had brought in a Korean distilled beverage, Soju, that tastes similar to vodka. The club plans to use Soju as a substitute in mixed drinks, and can also serve sake.

Amber Tuskowski, 24, of Murrieta, found part-time work at the club as a drink server.

"This is different, this is fun and exciting," Tuskowski said.

Located at 39745 Avenida Acacias, Suite F, in the Murrieta Crossings retail center, Aces has shows beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday evenings. Osborn said attendance has been averaging 100 per show since the club opened.

A city street and a wall separate the club from a residential area. Resident Milo Jensen lives nearby and is displeased with the club. Prior to Aces, furniture and retail made up the tenants at the center.

Jensen urged against alcohol sales He told commissioners he'd lost a family member because of a drunk driver, and that he was worried about noise, added traffic and potentially unsafe drivers the club could bring to the neighborhood.

"The city it seems in their excitement is more excited about the tax revenue in filling empty business places," Jensen said. "How many more alcohol licenses are you going to sit here and approve in this area?"

The maximum alcohol licenses for allowed for census tract under ABC had been reached prior to Aces; therefore, the project needed to be deemed a public necessity or convenience. The Planning Commission approved the club 5-0, but Jensen wants it thrown out by ABC.

Aces agreed to comply with several conditions while operating under the interim license and, if granted, a permanent license, according to Hydar.

Aces must limit its alcohol sales to between 6 a.m and midnight; no loitering is permitted in the parking lot or vicinity; no noise from the club may be audible outside of its operating area; and the club may not enforce a two-drink minimum that is typical with many of the same type of venues.

Hydar said his ABC district will send its recommendation to an office in Cerritos, which will then forward it to the Sacramento office.

He said ABC welcomes protests, as they are one of many ways the ABC strives to ensure local control. In this case, Hydar said most of the agreed-upon conditions were to appease the complainant, such as forbidding a two-drink minimum.

"The city signed off on this, the Police Department signed off on this. I am hoping we can put this to rest in six months, whether it be issuance or denial—we are recommending approval."