Cairo Ale House at risk of losing West Chicago liquor license due to noise complaints
A West Chicago restaurant and bar faces the loss of its liquor license due to multiple violations of the city's recently beefed-up noise ordinance.
The Cairo Ale House has operated since 2005 at 2009 Franciscan Way. Along with serving Mediterranean cuisine, the venue is known for hosting rock concerts, DJ sets and karaoke nights.
But on July 30, West Chicago officials issued an "Order of Temporary Closure" that prohibits "any and all music" as permitted by the Cairo Ale House's live entertainment liquor license.
In the document, Mayor and Liquor Control Commissioner Ruben Pineda stated the business "constitutes a threat to the welfare" of citizens because police had received "an inordinate number of complaints" primarily about the noise emanating from the venue.
The most recent citations were issued June 26, July 10 and July 28, and they specifically noted the "emission of noise at a decibel level in excess of 65 dBC."
The violations follow the city council's unanimous vote June 7 to expand its noise ordinance via sound-measuring filters.
Previously, West Chicago measured decibels using "dBA" filters that most closely measure loudness as heard by the human ear. But 7th Ward aldermen John Jakabcsin and Joe Morano were behind the push to expand the noise ordinance to use "dBC" filters, which, according to city documents, can capture more high treble and low-frequency deep bass ranges, such as noise generated by compressors, diesel engines or music.
"It feels like the ordinance was kind of carved out to push us out," said Cairo Ale House co-owner Tony Massih, who noted the business is in the 7th Ward.
"We've had to refund tickets," said Massih, who estimated the business had lost more than $20,000 so far. "It's becoming expensive because we're built for concerts, we're built for shows."
The city liquor commission had a hearing on the noise complaint Aug. 4. But no decision was made, in part, because Massih was not aware state law required his business to be represented by an attorney at the judicial hearing.
To allow Massih time to find legal counsel, the commission granted a continuance to Cairo Ale House, which may not sell alcohol while hosting live entertainment. A new hearing date has not been set.
Jakabcsin and Morano declined to be interviewed, citing the ongoing judicial proceedings. But in an emailed response, the two aldermen referred to an item in the West Chicago document prepared for the Aug. 4 hearing that stated, "The City of West Chicago Police Department has received in excess of 212 Calls for Service and Extra Patrols to the Licensed Premises from January 1, 2018 to the present date."
Massih has taken his cause online for public support. He noted he's received more than 3,000 supportive comments in an online petition.
He also filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain body-camera footage of a police officer issuing the June noise citation. Massih has since posted portions of the video to the Cairo Ale House's Facebook page.
He emphasized he was not disparaging the police. He said he posted the video, in part, to show how the officer took the time to walk west with Massih near Cherokee Drive to show where the device was used to measure the decibel levels.
"We survived the economic recession in the fall of 2008 and the pandemic of 2020," Massih said. "We hope to get our entertainment license back and be left alone."