Over the past year or so there have been several complaints to city councilors, the SFPD, and the Minnehaha County commissioners and frankly anyone who will listen about how Wileys conducts business (video lottery and smoking) and security issues.
I went with three city councilors on Friday night to the establishment. I left at around 10 PM, but before I left I noticed that on Friday nights that they serve ‘fish bowl’ drinks. They are pretty much a beer pitcher filled with a mixer and about 5 shots of booze. I knew where this party was going.
While I didn’t see anything unusual (when I was in my 20’s I hung out at the Pomp Room, Top Hat and JAMZ) I will say the food was awful and it was extremely loud.
Well, I did get out of there in good time, like I said, I knew where the party was headed when you are serving 5-shot drinks. The councilors stuck around, and they got quite a show.
Besides the extremely intoxicated people leaving at the end of the night and stumbling into traffic on busy 6th street and Main, the security, who are mostly off-duty police officers, really abused their power. At one point seven of them were on top of one intoxicated gentleman outside.
Some would say when people are that extremely ripped, they get treated by how they are acting. But who is creating this kind of binge drinking environment?
I suspect we will be hearing more about Wiley’s from the city council over the next week. The council has photos and video of the activities from Friday night.
It’s not near residential. The drunks need somewhere. Word of mouth has become the best way to advertise. Nobody takes the Argus and network TV is minimal audience. Talking it up about a 5 shot drink gets attention. Indeed, it puts you on the map with name recognition. Time out the shots drink. How about a wet T-shirt or best pasties contest? Sioux Falls needs another Circus. Bucks and Scarlett’s are old venue and primitive. The boomers are to old, inactive, and boring. Go for the geeks and sexual deviates. They are the future.
In the mid 80’s I had a lingerie store called ‘Intrigue’ near 26th & Minnesota. It was with live models and men’s nights. Girls peeled off what they sold and walked back to dressing rooms nude. Best customers were city commissioners and media types. Couldn’t keep the sleazy stuff in stock. Fixtures was antique wardrobes and art I depreciated and sold for a profit. After a year, I did a Trump-like bankruptcy. Creditors settled for a dime on the dollar. As liquidation manager, I paid myself a handsome bonus.
Sounds devious but angelic compared to taking bribes for awarding public funds projects. The city needs this type of business plan. Bankrupt bonds and keep the luxuries. The criminals are those that awarded contracts and brokers who sold them.
That’s the thing, Dan. It is near residential. There are lofts and apartments surrounding the establishment.
It’s a mixed use neighborhood, not industrial. When Wiley’s is blasting music so loud it’s vibrating windows a block away, that’s a problem. When you watch folks get beat down every Friday and Saturday night with no police response, that’s a problem. When your neighbors avoid going anywhere near your establishment (and all likely hate you) and will walk a block out of their way to avoid it, that’s a problem. When your security is blasting a bullhorns and sirens at vehicles and pedestrians at all hours of the night for a month straight, that’s a problem.
l3wis, Theresa, Pat, and greg? Were you all sitting together? How do you reconcile sitting with the one person who threw Theresa under the bus last month? Color me real leery of nitezert. Just like huether, there is no camera or microphone this guy hasn’t already fallen in love with.
I have given Greg a second chance. As I have told him, I have disagreed with several councilors in the past for decisions they have made, and wasn’t going to throw the baby out with the bath water. But he still has to rebuild trust with me. To be quite honest with you, I only trust one person on that diaz.
Greg voted down ‘The 6400 Petition’. I’d like a reason. Anonymous, I see your point and it’s a good one. After city council attention, perhaps Wiley’s will settle down. The city council has given them free advertising. Enough that they don’t have to be known for the 5 shot drink. If customers want to kill themselves, try one shot with 5 shots of water. Call it a ‘Russian Roulette’. Neitzert was a disappointment for ‘The 6400 Petition’. Oh well. Question: How did you get Stehly into a bar?
Three Councilors walk into a bar. Can’t remember the punch line.