OPELIKA — The Opelika City Council revoked the business license of Wild Wing Cafe following a public hearing Tuesday and set a Sept. 1 hearing to consider revoking the business license of Top Shelf Alternatives, whose owners have been charged in connection with an investigation into products allegedly sold from the Geneva Street store.
The two actions placed separate businesses at different stages of the city’s license-revocation process. Wild Wing Cafe, located at 3040 Capps Way, had its hearing Tuesday before the council approved the revocation. Top Shelf Alternatives, located at 510 Geneva St., Suites 3 and 4, will have its hearing Sept. 1 at 6 p.m.
Under the Opelika Code of Ordinances, the council may suspend or revoke a business license following notice and a public hearing for certain violations of city, state or federal law or when a business is determined to constitute a danger to public health, safety or welfare.
Wild Wing Cafe
The council revoked the license issued to Together We Thrive LLC, which operated Wild Wing Cafe, following a public hearing on allegations that the restaurant had become a public nuisance.
The city’s Revenue Department cited numerous police calls, fights, shootings, alleged drug activity, overcrowding, illegal parking and alcohol sales to minors among the reasons it sought revocation.
According to the city’s petition, the Opelika Police Department responded to Wild Wing Cafe 96 times beginning March 13, including 35 calls for service and 61 security checks.
The incidents listed in the petition included fights inside and outside the business, reports of shots fired, complaints involving large crowds and illegally parked vehicles and repeated instances in which the establishment allegedly exceeded its maximum occupancy of 310 people.
On July 2, the city reported an estimated 400 to 450 people were inside the business, with another 100 to 150 people waiting to enter. According to the petition, the roadway was blocked to the point that a fire engine could not reach the business, and six vehicles were towed.
Major John Hester with the Opelika Police Department spoke on behalf of the OPD during the due-process hearing.
“In March of this year, Wild Wing Cafe received a license to do business in Opelika as a restaurant selling liquor and beer,” Hester said. “Since that time, over the course of four and a half months, OPD has responded 35 calls to service to that business. Within those 35 calls, we have responded to a shooting at the business where there was a gunshot victim. Our officers got in a high-speed chase from the scene. We recovered an AR-15 from that scene with 21 shell cases. We have responded to seven fight calls. Some of those calls, we’ve had to intervene. On one occasion, our officers had to deploy pepper spray and arrest a few subjects to stop the fight.”
Jeroskie Finch spoke to the council about the allegations.
“I do want to take accountability for the things that happened there,” Finch said.
He also said some of the service calls to the restaurant were made by him or staff members requesting assistance from OPD.
“[I’m a] first time business owner, we know we made mistakes,” Fitch said. “We made some mistakes. We just ask for opportunity to correct. … Not only does it affect me as a business owner, I have employees that depend on this job, and we just want to be given the opportunity to fix the stuff that we need to fix.”
The city also alleged Wild Wing Cafe had charged cover fees to enter the establishment, including $25 and $40 on separate occasions, which the Revenue Department cited in arguing that the business was operating more like a club than a restaurant.
On July 17, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency operatives made two undercover alcohol purchases inside the business using underage operatives who were allegedly not required to show identification.
In addition to revoking the current business license, the council prohibited Together We Thrive LLC, Wild Wing Cafe, Katina Wiggins and Finch from obtaining a business license for 36 months. Wiggins later told The Observer that she is not an owner, operator or manager of Wild Wing Cafe and that her connection to the company is limited to serving as an agent of record.
CLARIFICATION: The Opelika City Council’s resolution included Katina Wiggins among those prohibited from obtaining a business license for 36 months. Wiggins contacted The Observer to clarify that she is not an owner, operator or manager of Wild Wing Cafe and that her connection to the company is as an agent of record. The online story has been updated to reflect that distinction.
