WARREN Owner to sell club's assets
A city official said the nightclub doesn't have sprinklers or a fire wall.
By PEGGY SINKOVICHand DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A popular black establishment will not reopen because of what the owner says was constant harassment by city officials.
LaShawn Ziegler, owner of 77 Soul on U.S. Route 422, says he is planning to auction off the assets of the club March 13. He said since he opened the business 18 months ago, he has been stopped by police numerous times and illegally strip-searched.
"I just feel I wasn't given the opportunity since Day One to run a business," Ziegler said. "They shut me down two weeks ago on Valentine's Day weekend, and that really hurt business. I had a lot planned for that weekend."
Chris Taneyhill, the city's chief building official, delivered a citation order Feb. 13 to Ziegler informing him that the business was shut down.
Taneyhill said that an inspection he did revealed that the building's use had changed from a restaurant to a nightclub.
That, combined with the square footage and number of people who can be in the building, requires it to have a sprinkler system or fire walls. It doesn't.
Ziegler and his attorney, Gil Rucker, said the business has operated the same since it opened in August 2002.
Rucker said, "Instead of being the public servants they were elected to be, the city officials chose to take the drastic way out and close him. They couldn't find any way to assist Mr. Ziegler."
Ziegler had previously filed a lawsuit in August stating he was illegally strip-searched by city police. The city settled that suit a few months later for about $26,000, city officials said.
Rucker noted that Ziegler still plans to pursue legal action against the city.
What's happened
Fred Harris, former safety-service director, wasn't surprised at the news, referring to Ziegler's frustration in recent months.
"I'm upset about the timing and the way it was closed up," he said. "I've talked to a lot of people, particularly in the African-American community, who felt the timing wasn't good with the lawsuit, the out-of-court settlement, the meeting with the new administration and then him getting stopped for a traffic ticket the very next day and then being closed down."
Ziegler met with Mayor Michael J. O'Brien and members of O'Brien's administration earlier this month to talk about problems at the club.
Police have been called to the establishment several times over the last year for numerous complaints, including a stabbing.
On notice
After the meeting, O'Brien said Ziegler had been put on notice to address the problems.
The next day, two police officers pulled Ziegler over, accusing him of speeding, but they didn't document his speed on the traffic ticket.
A few days later, Taneyhill ordered the business to be closed.
"I'm not happy to see any business close up," Harris said.
Doug Franklin, current safety-service director, said he feels the closing is unfortunate.
"I like LaShawn," Franklin said. "The restaurant business is tough. I think he had the best intentions and I wish him well."
O'Brien said he was surprised Ziegler made the decision to close so quickly. The decision to shut down the business was one of safety, he said.
"With it being a nightclub, we wanted to prevent a situation from happening like what happened a year ago in Rhode Island," O'Brien said, referring to a fire that killed 100 people.
sinkovich@vindy.com