Mojoes Owner Quits

Former Mojoes owner Chris Triebes is washing his hands of Mojoes and Joliet. The business owner stated his reason for quitting is due to the overcrowding charges the city of Joliet issued against him.

Before the charges, Triebes said that business was great and he was thriving. He also said the charges levied against him are unfair.

“I was allowed to have a much higher capacity before,” Triebes said in an email interview. “On April 11, the city cracked down on me and stopped me from letting anymore than 500 people in, or 600 if I hired a ’fire watch.’ Since then, I have been hit with a couple more over capacity charges on nights that I was clearly not over the capacity that they had given me.”

Triebes said the incident that occurred the night of May 16 was particularly unjust. That was the night police were called out to Mojoes due to gunshots that occurred at around 12:30 a.m. May 17. Police reportedly took a count of how many people were in the club that night and found Mojoes to be over capacity.

“According to the ‘overall consensus of the police,’” Triebes said. “Meaning that they took a look around, did not use any official accounting method, and just decided it was over cap. I am able to prove with my video footage that I was not over cap, but have since lost interest in fighting that or any other battle in this particular city.”

Tribes said he has 28 cameras in the building.

So what will become of Mojoes? Triebes is in talks with a few serious candidates to take over the lease.

“I am hoping I can find the right person for the job and am sure someone will work out, as I’ve already had 20 inquiries,” Triebes said. “I believe Mojoes, as it was, was an excellent and very significant economic and cultural force in a city which is otherwise somewhat desolate in those departments. I would love to find someone that can fill that position.”

For now, Triebes said the current calendar of events will be kept in place as much as possible. However, Mojoes is closed for the time being.

“It is closed for now,” he said. “(But) can be easily re-opened with the right person, though.”

Triebes said he still plans to set up, promote and produce concerts at other locations. He may even start another venue of his own. He will also be returning to his old screen printing business next week. But as for anything within the city of Joliet, Triebes is clear about his feelings.

“I will never do anything business related in the city ever again.”

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