Kenosha License and Permit Committee recommends approvals, denials and deferrals to City Council; several operator applications deferred or denied

The Kenosha License and Permit Committee on July 28 recommended approval, denial or deferral on a slate of business and operator license applications and temporary-event permits, sending most items as recommendations to the Common Council for final action on Aug. 4.

The committee recommended approval of new and temporary liquor and entertainment licenses for several businesses, including Fennet and Lakeshore LLC, Free Hermonos LLC, Airbnb Beer LLC, Revival Room Resale LLC, CD Warehouse and Prestige Energy Worldwide Corp. It recommended denial of several operator (bartender) license applications because of material police records or false information on applications, deferred other operator applications for the applicants to provide additional documentation, and recorded one applicant’s voluntary withdrawal.

Those outcomes matter because the committee’s votes are advisory; the full Common Council makes the final decisions at its next meeting. Several operator-license actions were driven by the city attorney’s review of the city’s point-chart criteria, including how an OWI or failure-to-complete ordered assessments affect an applicant’s score.

Most votes were procedural and uncontroversial, but a handful drew extended discussion. Public commenter Eric Hallgard (resident) spoke in support of item 14, the liquor and cabaret applications for Fennet and Lakeshore LLC, saying he was “strongly in favor” and that previous operators had “a stellar record” and “never had a single complaint for the neighborhood.” Several operator applicants addressed the committee: one applicant (Tyler Thorsen) withdrew his application during the meeting after committee members expressed concerns; another (Shannon/ Sharon Miller) was deferred while she completes a court-ordered driver safety plan.

Votes at a glance (committee recommendation to Common Council unless noted):

- Item 14 — Fennet and Lakeshore LLC, 4120 Seventh Ave.: Recommended approval of a new Class B beer/Class B liquor license (to be effective 08/16/2025 upon surrender of a similar license), probationary and cabaret license; no adverse police recommendation recorded. (Committee vote: unanimous in favor; recommendation to council.)

- Item 1 — Abigail Arroyo Margus, new operator’s license: Committee moved to defer and ask the applicant to appear after the city attorney flagged application items and a 90-point consideration; city attorney advised the recommendation would not change pending appearance. (Deferred to a future license meeting; recommendation to council pending.)

- Item 2 — Stephen Scholes, new operator’s license: Committee recommended denial based on a material police record and a false application. (Recommendation to council: deny.)

- Item 3 — Halema Hassan, new operator’s license: Committee recommended denial based on material police record and false application. (Recommendation to council: deny.)

- Item 4 — Shannon (Sharon) Miller, operator’s license: Applicant said she completed most of a required assessment but missed a final class for a driver safety plan; the city attorney asked for more information. Committee voted to defer and requested the applicant provide documentation to the city attorney’s office. (Deferred.)

- Item 5 — Tyler Thorsen, new operator’s license (deferred from July 14): Applicant attended and provided letters of recommendation but committee members cited a high total of points on the city chart. The applicant voluntarily withdrew his application during the meeting; committee nevertheless moved to recommend denial to council. (Applicant withdrew; committee recommended denial to council.)

- Item 6 — Clarence Nelson, pet fancier license, 754820 Ninth Ave.: No adverse police recommendation; committee voted to approve. (Recommendation to council: approve.)

- Item 7 — Free Hermonos LLC, temporary outdoor extension (Class B beer/Class B liquor) for event on 08/09/2025: Applicant described private parking-lot setup and resident notification; committee approved and noted a waiver request under the cited city statute. (Recommendation to council: approve with waiver consideration.)

- Items 8–9 — Airbnb Beer LLC, temporary outdoor extension (08/05/2025) and outdoor cafe area license, 62150 Sixth St.: Committee took items together and approved both; police had no adverse recommendation. (Recommendation to council: approve.)

- Items 10–11 — Revival Room Resale LLC (secondhand articles license, 3417 Fourteenth Ave., Suite 2) and CD Warehouse (public entertainment license, 252970 Fifth St.): Both approved; police had no adverse recommendations. (Recommendation to council: approve.)

- Item 12 — Urban League of Kenosha and Racine, daily cabaret license for an event originally set for Sept. 18: Committee approved with an amendment changing the date to Aug. 30; one committee member abstained (cited service on the organization’s board). (Recommendation to council: approve; recorded abstention.)

- Item 13 — MLJ Kenosha LLC, yearly cabaret license, 3221 Sixtieth St.: No adverse police recommendation; committee voted to approve. (Recommendation to council: approve.)

- Item 15 — Prestige Energy Worldwide Corp, new Class A beer/Class A liquor (cider-only) license, 280250 Second St., effective 08/01/2025: Applicant present to answer questions; committee voted to approve. (Recommendation to council: approve.)

Committee and process notes

- The committee emphasized that its votes are recommendations; the Common Council will act on many items at its Aug. 4 meeting. For several operator-license applications the city attorney applied the city’s point chart and asked the committee to treat false or incomplete application answers and noncompliance with court-ordered programs as grounds for higher point assessments and potential denial.

- Several applicants were instructed to submit additional documentation to the city attorney or clerk’s office before council. The committee recorded one abstention (Urban League item) and at least one voluntary application withdrawal (Tyler Thorsen).

- Police department reported no updates during the meeting.

What’s next

Most items the committee considered were forwarded as recommendations to the Common Council for its Aug. 4 meeting. Applicants seeking to submit additional evidence were told to provide materials to the clerk’s or city attorney’s office promptly so the council may consider them.