Hours after a shooting outside a downtown nightclub, City Manager Chip Filer called for all businesses in Norfolk’s entertainment district to prove why they should have the “privilege” of remaining open.
The reaction from business owners to the impending crackdown has been mixed — some bristled at the idea they have to prove anything, criticizing the wide net cast by his statements, while others welcome his response as a chance for a nightlife reset.
Tony Caruana, owner and chef at Italian restaurant Luce, said businesses already justified their existence to city officials when they applied for and received conditional use permits. He said business owners should pose questions to the city instead, noting the only thing that had changed during the past three years was fewer customers.
“What does the city have to keep us there?” Caruana asked.
Filer’s comments came after an Aug. 5 shooting outside Legacy Restaurant and Lounge that injured four people, including a Norfolk sheriff’s deputy. One man, Tyshawn M. Gray, was charged in the shooting, which court documents say happened after he was thrown out of the club.
Filer foreshadowed the possible imposition of a midnight cutoff for businesses as part of the city crackdown.
Caruana, whose business is open until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, said city officials hadn’t reached out to him yet about his permit. He defended staying open late, saying customers sit for one last drink before heading home.
He hoped city officials would provide more answers for businesses soon.
“The bullying and not having an answer is the wrong answer,” he said, again referencing Filer’s comments.
Baxter Simmons, owner of Baxter’s sports bar, said he felt disrespected by the suggestion he may have to alter his business after operating for years with no issues. Downtown Norfolk was a “ghost town” 20 years ago before bars and restaurants invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to turn it into an entertainment district, he said, which then drew residents to the area.