What's a working lady going to do and where will she go now?
Bar shut down after prostitution sting
Amanda Stanzilis KENS 5 Eyewitness News
Neighbors say it's a hangout for hookers. But now, there's no turning tricks.
Customers are being turned away from Grandma's bar after a sting operation shut the place down Thursday afternoon.
Customers are being turned away from Grandma's bar after a sting operation shut the place down Thursday afternoon.
Police, the TABC and code compliance raided the bar on Zarzamora, looking for problems.
At Grandma's, police say the ladies find their "John," then take them to another building across the street.
At Grandma's, police say the ladies find their "John," then take them to another building across the street.
"The neighbors in the area have problems with it, so it would be in everybody's best interest to resolve this issue," Sgt. Roland Ortiz said.
A prostitute round up took place, then police, the TABC and half a dozen code inspectors raided the bar, looking for any code violations.
They looked through beer coolers, took pictures, confiscated a machete and even found a bird's nest in the fuse box.
Warning after warning was written, all so two bar owners get the message — you can't have working ladies work there.
"It's their responsibility to take care of the problem," Ortiz said.
"It's so many of them, it's beyond my control," bar owner Blanca Carios said.
That's an excuse police aren't buying. So on Thursday, Grandma got hit pretty hard.
"I've got to really think about it. Do I really want to do this, or just get rid of it? I don't know," Carios said.
"I've got to really think about it. Do I really want to do this, or just get rid of it? I don't know," Carios said.
The bar owner has 30 days to take care of all of the violations. But, as she said, she is seriously thinking about shutting down, which is what many neighbors want.
