Cheers Bar & Grill Has Liquor License Amended

The Baltimore County Liquor Board decided this week to amend the liquor license of a Parkville bar. Cheers Bar & Grill in Perring Plaza Shopping Center has been the scene of several violent incidents in the last few months, including what police described as "gang activity."

As a result of the board's action, Cheers is now required to have five security guards working as crowds leave for the night. If the bar fails to follow the board's decision, it risks losing its license. 

The hearing on Monday was held to determine whether the bar's liquor license should be suspended or revoked in the wake of many violent incidents in recent months.

Police, bar owners and the liquor board first met more than a year ago to discuss a series of assaults and stabbings associated with the bar that have continued to give the establishment a troubled reputation with police.

At Monday's hearing, Baltimore County police officer Mike Vlach testified before the board that Cheers has been the site of a number of violent incidents in recent months—including one in February that left four people injured after a bar patron brandished a knife during a fight outside the bar.

Vlach told the board of several other crimes. On Jan. 30 a person who admitted to having come from Cheers used a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun to commit a robbery in the parking lot of a nearby Denny's restaurant.  The suspect in that incident was a convicted felon, and threatened violence against officers.

"Our concern is about the frequency of calls coming out of the bar lately," said Lt. Kevin Flaherty. "It's not a lot of volume, but when there is a call for service it's a volatile situation as of late."

Flaherty also expressed concern about gang activity surrounding the bar. He said he has seen people sporting gang colors and openly displaying gang tattoos. 

The man arrested in connection with the Feb. 5 stabbing is known to be a member of the gang MS13, police said.

"There just aren't enough officers to deal with out-of-control crowds," Flaherty said. 

He said that when a call for service comes to the police from the area around the bar, he no longer has to ask for backup. Officers from White Marsh and Towson automatically respond.

Flaherty said such calls are a "drain on our resources."

Charles E. Brooks, the lawyer representing bar owners Barbara J. Quinan, Hyeseung Park and James M. Yi, argued that the hearing should focus only on the Feb. 5 incident. The board agreed and only considered that one incident before rendering its decision to amend, rather than revoke or suspend, the liquor license.

But liquor board Chairman Charles E. Klein reminded the owners they are operating under a restaurant liquor license, meaning that 51 percent of their revenue must come from the sale of non-alcoholic products. 

He warned the owners that their all-you-can-drink weekend specials, where patrons pay at the door, constituted the sale of alcohol and would not count toward that 51 percent. Klein also pointed out that an all-you-can-drink promotion contributes to serving intoxicated people, another violation of their license.

"We'll have inspectors in and out of the bar," Klein said. 

The chairman explained that if violent incidents at the bar continued, or inspectors found anything out of order, the license would be suspended or revoked.

Speaking after the hearing, Brooks said, "We want to cooperate fully with the board and the Baltimore County Police Department—there's never been any complaint from the neighborhood. We will do that which is necessary to meet the board's requirements."