O'Shea Addresses The Mr. Tony Controversy

CHICAGO, IL - 19th Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea has addressed a neighborhood controversy involving a "cease & desist" order issued to a small business owner over what suggestive fliers indicated was a late-night party planned without proper licensing over Labor Day weekend.

The alderman, who sent out a mass email to ward residents about the order from the city's Business Affairs and Consumer Protection office, said he received "several phone calls and text messages" from residents about the planned function that indicated a location for "Mr. Tony's Barbershop" on the fliers and contacted the BACP immediately for an investigation.

"This is standard practice I have done when any complaints are received about local businesses," O'Shea said. "The most recent example came when residents were complaining about live entertainment and cover charges at Brewbakers Tavern. In that instance, as in this one, I referred the matter to the office of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. That office handles licensing matters, investigation and enforcement."

A cease & desist order was issued by the BACP to Tony Moore, owner of the Mr. Tony & Co. VIP barbershop near 116th and Western in Morgan Park. Moore has said that he did not make or distribute the fliers and does not plan late-night events with cover charges like the one that was suggested in the flier, which contained images of unclothed or barely clothed women. The order indicated that Moore did not have the public place of amusement license that would be needed to host such an event.

The event promoted in the fliers was allegedly for the night before the barber's annual Labor Day weekend back-to-school drive, in which he and other adults offer free haircuts, backpacks and school supplies to neighborhood children heading back to school.

There have been no complaints made about Mr. Tony & Co. VIP before the distribution of the fliers, O'Shea said. The alderman has since reached out to Moore about meeting with him and the BACP to further discuss the situation.

The Southwest Chicago Diversity Collaborative, a neighborhood group advocating for diversity and fair business practices, has called on O'Shea to publicly apologize to Moore for not reaching out to him before sending the mass email linking him to the alleged illegal activity. READ MORE: Diversity Group Says Alderman Should Apologize To Barber Over Mass Email

Patch file photo / Tim Moran