New bar in north core worries nearby businesses

The planned move of a popular bar from its Memorial Avenue location to Thunder Bay's north core has some merchants in the area concerned about security and the clientele the bar will bring to the neighbourhood.

Roxy's Nightclub has applied for a liquor licence at 228 Red River Road. The building, which has been vacant for a few years, was up for a tax sale in 2011 for $96,000. The building was previously a gym and the McNulty's department store.

Jim Commuzzi, the vice-president of the Waterfront District BIA said some members worry about broken windows, security of their customers and property and that a large bar could change the atmosphere of the north core.

Commuzzi told CBC News he was told a sports bar would move into the building — and he hopes it doesn't become a large nightclub.

'They're kind of overstating'

Matt Bressmer, the owner of Creation, a tattoo and clothing store on Red River Road, said he has no problems with the new business bringing people downtown.

"I think they're kind of overstating what kind of people are coming down," he said. "It's just going to be probably a younger crowd, it's going to be people with money, and we welcome it."

Bressmer said he's never had security issues in his store, although other nightclubs have opened and closed on nearby Court Street.

"We've been dealing with various clientele over the past decade, and we've been here for 15 years and seen it all," he noted. "They're taking a very large, decrepit space and putting a whole ton of money into it, so it's fantastic."

'Better for the downtown community'

Michelle Scott's business, 3 Ride BMX will be beside the new bar. She looks at a new business as another entrepreneur bringing people to the north core.

"Each one sort of brings its own clientele to its doors, so this is just going to be a maybe different market than the rest."

Scott said she expanded her business from one location in Vancouver, where she had many security issues. She hasn't seen the same problems in Thunder Bay.

"[It] is better for everybody, is better for the downtown community, for the waterfront community for sure. For the entertainment district because that's what I think it's becoming."

City police say they work in conjunction with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to ensure all establishments with a liquor licence obey the law.

Police say the AGCO will determine if there are too many establishments serving alcohol in a particular neighbourhood, when the owner of a bar applies for a liquor licence.