City of Alton - Committee of the Whole Meeting
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ALTON – A proposal to eliminate late night liquor licenses for all Alton bars is on hold for now after several local bar owners spoke out against it.
A resolution on Monday’s Committee of the Whole agenda called for an ordinance to remove a section of the city code allowing for “late night liquor licenses,” which currently allow businesses to sell alcohol as late as 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends. If passed, this would effectively ban all Alton bars from selling alcohol later than 1 a.m.
Michelle Oerter, a bartender at Danny’s Lounge, presented city officials with a petition that gained 367 signatures calling on the city not to revoke every bar’s late night liquor license. She said the ordinance would create an unfair financial burden local bars can’t afford.
“Those late night hours, especially after 1 a.m., they make up a significant portion of our revenue,” Oerter said. “You don’t punish an entire classroom for one child’s behavior, so why should the rest of us be punished?”
Danny’s Lounge Co-Owner Keith Hall said one of the bar’s well-known “trademarks” is its late night hours, estimating that over 20% of their revenue is generated after 1 a.m.
“If we lost this amount of money annually, I’m pretty sure we would have to close our doors for good,” Hall said. “I believe that losing [late night hours] will simply hurt businesses like ours and result in considerably less tax revenue for Alton. The customers will simply go to neighboring communities with late night hours, such as Godfrey.”
Ricky Parks with Catdaddy’s Tavern said forcing all Alton bars to close at 1 a.m. would negatively impact the livelihood of his bartenders and, potentially, the business’s ability to keep up with rising costs.
“Those last two hours between 1 a.m. and closing are not just extra time – for many of us in the industry, they’re the difference between making enough to cover our rent, utilities, and groceries or falling short,” Parks said. “The cost of living is rising for everyone and now we’re talking about taking away a chunk of the income that we’ve come to count on.
“Bartenders and waiters are part of the heartbeat of this community after midnight. If we lose these hours, it’s not just money we’re losing – it’s part of what makes Alton feel alive. I’m asking you, please, before making this change, to think about the real people, your neighbors, who will feel the impact the most.”
Bubby & Sissy’s Co-Owner Mike Klasner called on the city’s Police Department to start enforcing laws the city already on the books regarding public drinking and other violations he has personally seen downtown. While Klasner supports a safer downtown, he questioned why local bar owners were not consulted sooner to work with city officials and find other possible solutions, rather than hurting the Alton business community.
“Removing a late liquor license will do nothing but make businesses struggle with survivability – this in turn will hurt the entire downtown area,” Klasner said. “People’s lives depend on these jobs.”
Sparks Junk Removal Owner Denise Sparks said that while she is not a bar owner, she sees this as a matter of equal treatment of all businesses under the law. She said the city’s decision to revoke the late night liquor licenses of two bars while allowing all others to remain open “creates an uneven playing field.”
“The standard should apply equally to all businesses, not just a select few. Singling out two locations sends the wrong message … that decisions can be made based on favoritism [or] selective enforcement,” Sparks said. “This is not about special treatment, it’s about equal treatment. Our laws, our licensing, and our city’s reputation must be rooted in fairness, transparency and consistency – anything less undermines our public trust.”
Alderwoman Martha Pfister, who first proposed the resolution, thanked each member of the public who spoke out for making their voices heard.
“I’d like to thank our speakers who came tonight,” Pfister said. “I don’t think we should do nothing, but … I want to come up with something that’s fair and that helps keep Alton safe and helps restore the nightlife in a safe way.”
The item has now been tabled for the Committee of the Whole meeting on Nov. 10, 2025. If approved, the item would go next to the City Council before returning in the form of an ordinance, then receiving a first and second reading before a final City Council vote. If given final approval, the late night liquor license ban would go into effect starting on Dec. 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m.
A full recording of the Aug. 11, 2025 Alton Committee of the Whole meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
