Carbondale commission grants Levels, Club 13 liquor licenses

The long-closed nightclub Levels and a newer establishment, Club 13, were granted liquor licenses by the Carbondale Local Liquor Control Commission recently.

Regarding Levels on East Grand Avenue, commissioners wanted assurance that new owner Josh Edwards, who had managed bars in Columbus, Ohio for Levels' former owner Greg Knoob, had purchased the club in a true "arm's length transaction."

City attorney Jaime Snyder told commissioners at their Jan. 31 meeting that he reviewed Edwards' banking records and found no evidence of any other parties being involved in Levels' purchase.

The commission, with chairperson pro tem Carolin Harvey and members Jeff Doherty, Tom Grant, Lee Fronabarger, Adam Loos and Ginger Rye Sanders, approved the on-premises primary liquor license with a live entertainment rider in a 5-1 vote with Loos as a "nay."

Club 13, formerly known as Chalky's, on West Main Street, was granted a license renewal and a change to the on-premises primary category with video gaming and live entertainment rider.

Chalky's had opened as a pool hall with a secondary alcohol permit and an entry age of 16 and over. However, last fall, Chalky's sold all its pool tables and became a night club, but the change in business plans hadn't been approved by the liquor control commission.

At its meeting on Jan. 10, owner Carl Martin told the commission that Chalky's was in danger of going out of business and that he had to act quickly to save it.

Due to Chalky's not having any previous violations, city staff recommended that a letter of reprimand be placed in the bar's file.

The commission voted 5-1 to approve the license with Doherty as a "nay."