Dukes Lounge: Is it Going to Become the Next Laristo's

I believe that Bars, Lounges and nightclubs have their place in our community. But as former promoter,DJ and wine & spirit salesman the first thing I always learned was RESPONSIBILITY. You are responsible for the way you promote, controlling the room,safety of consumers and following the law. Several years ago, Laristo's on 75th street downgraded their crowd and bedlam broke out and a shooting took place and patrons were injured and nearby businesses were damaged.

Recently, Dukes Lounge (121 E 79th) has prescribed to the same recipe for disaster for Friday nights. Per the staff of Pepe's the owner did allow Dukes to use the lot with the exception of the immediate spaces around the perimeter of his restaurant but the patrons take up all his spots including the handicap spots. The restaurant is losing business as customers cannot find a place to park. The patrons of Dukes are taking over the Pepe's lot, the medical center lot across the street and parking on the residential streets of 79th Michigan and Indiana. There are allegations of public drinking, loitering and loud music as individuals are sitting in their cars in front of residents home. 

What is going on is the same things that have happened at the 50 yard line and Laristo's. With the weather getting better is this what we need on 79th Street?

Time Out Chicago feature: "Ald. Roderick T. Sawyer, funk DJ | Secret passions"

Alderman Sawyer has been featured a lot in the media lately. Yesterday, we talked about the NBC 5 Chicago profile of him. Now the magazine "Time Out Chicago" has featured our alderman, choosing to focus on the more personal side of him: his life as a DJ / Nightclub owner (pre-attorney days).

In ’86, Sawyer and a friend opened a nightclub called S’s on 71st Street just east of King Drive, where the pair hosted a popular party called Funk Fest.

but that

After he graduated from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1990 and passed the bar exam, deejaying took a backseat to his legal practice. Sawyer and his business partner shuttered S’s in ’93. But the rookie alderman still blows off the dust from his Technics SL-1200 turntables to spin parties he hosts with his wife, Cheryll.

A couple of questions:

• Is the building that housed "S's" still operational (and if so, with what)?
• And we will see Ald. Sawyer guest DJ and some of next summer's neighborhood festivals?

And one "concern": wouldn't it have been better for our neighborhood if Ald. Sawyer was featured at Fletcher Records, here in our neighborhood (on 75th street)?