'We're not that type of club': Live at PJ's temporarily ending college night after fight
Downtown Ann Arbor nightspot Live at PJ’s is temporarily ending college night on Sunday nights after Ann Arbor police responded to a fight in a parking lot outside the club early Monday morning.
Police used pepper spray to break up a fight involving 20 to 30 people at 2:10 a.m. Monday morning. The club's bouncers reported that shots were fired, but police said they found no shell casings.
Live at PJ's will close on Sunday nights until further notice.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Today, Live at PJ’s owner Derek Aldridge said there was no shooting that evening and that he does not believe there is a security problem in downtown Ann Arbor.
But he said the incident helped prompt him to shut the club down on Sunday nights — which is geared toward college students — for the time being. Sunday is the only 18-and-older night at Live, which is located at the corner of First and Huron streets on the western edge of downtown Ann Arbor.
“This is kind of an effort I’m making in good faith,” he said. “We don’t need to close on Sundays and the police didn’t tell us to, but this is me saying to everyone, ‘Hey, we’re not that type of club,’” Aldridge said.
Aldridge said that although this is the first time there has been an incident at his club, he wants to let things “calm down” and let people find somewhere else to go on Sunday nights.
“Everything is debatable at the moment,” he said. “We’re going to cancel it now and regroup and see if it’s something we want to continue.”
Aldridge said he does hope to keep college nights on Sundays.
“Right now, there is no place for the 18-to-20 crowd to have fun in a safe environment, so we still want to provide that,” he said.
His concern, he said, is the parking lot directly across the street from his club, where he says people sit in their cars and drink alcohol.
“I know the Ann Arbor police department is stretched thin, but if they would do a cursory ride-through of that parking lot, they would find people drinking in their cars," he said. "It’s just not a good situation when those people are waiting for the clubs to pile out and you get a mix of people we have allowed inside and people we haven’t.”
Lizzy Alfs is a business reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at 734-623-2584 or email her at lizzyalfs@annarbor.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/lizzyalfs.
Comments
Dutchy734
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 4:52 p.m.
If you believe this "college" night is filled with "Students" then i have a bridge i want to sell you..This is far from the first issue they have had..
Youwhine
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 3:58 p.m.
The idea that a) this is 'the first time there has been an incident' at this club or that b) Sunday nights at the club are at all a college crowd is comical. The Sunday night crowd there is the same one which used to go to Fifth Quarter and Studio 4. There are constantly problems there. They just didn't make it into the paper before.
racerx
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 12:54 p.m.
City of Ann Arbor officials? Were you listening? Here, a local business owner who had an issue away from his club, gives a bit of advice. A suggestion that is simple, direct and would help; a cursory ride-through of the parking lot. This same local business owner has viewed a problem and seeks a remedy. This should be a wake-up call to those officials before they begin the process of using laws to deem the place a nuisance and attempt to close the club as they've had in other situations. If police would had taken the time to just cruise or sit by Studio 4 at closing, typically when most of those fights begin, maybe it would still be open. Still, I'm sure it was those attending that had more to do with it than any attempts by the city to use a simple approach of utilizing their resources who's job is to serve and protect.
Youwhine
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 3:54 p.m.
At the height of the problems at Studio 4, I would routinely see MULTIPLE police cars parked outside every night at closing. And there would still be fights and problems. So apparently your genius idea didn't work.
racerx
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 3:16 p.m.
@djm-This is part of police officers job. It wouldn't take that much time to patrol the parking lot at 2am when the club closes. This lot in particular is city property and not the UM campus. Same as with the troubles at Studio 4, public lots. If the city deems that this isn't part of their police officers function then I pity the residents of this city who look for them for protection. To continue, the UM wouldn't have many students if they were caught drinking and expelled. Really?
djm12652
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 2:13 p.m.
Your suggestion would make sense, but with the police force reduced by the city officials there aren't enough cars to patrol parking lots. I have an idea, send those underage illegal drinkers back home with a book for their parents so they can re-educate them to respect the law...just a thought. Or, if they are indeed underage students, why doesn't the University have their PD patrol the lot. If students are caught breaking the law, put it in their school transcript. Three strikes and they are expelled.
drew_blows
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 2:46 a.m.
The problem with the students siitting in the parking lot on Sunday night is the free parking and having no cashiers on duty. Perhaps DDA should consider charging for parking on Sunday to curtail such behavior
djm12652
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 2:16 p.m.
So penalize all of the other people [not breaking the law] that come into town for a nice dinner or evening out because there are some entitled underage drunks? Suich behavior is not the responsibility of the DDA, it goes back to being raised a certain way and learning respect.
A2comments
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 10:41 a.m.
Sure, let's charge for parking in Ann Arbor on a Sunday night to stop a problem at one parking lot caused by underaged drinkers...
smokeblwr
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 2:21 a.m.
When I was 19 years old on a Sunday night in college I was studying like a kid who was here on a student visa, not partying for the third night in a row.
djm12652
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.
yep, that's a great concept...but sooooo old fashioned...you must be as old as me!
Enso
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 12:53 p.m.
Yeah, college is pretty much a joke now. When it is more important for a school to make profit it is in the school's best interest to make school work as easy as possible. You can't very well have kids paying $20,000 and year AND flunking out...
Wolf's Bane
Wed, Oct 26, 2011 : 1:13 a.m.
With regard to the current issue of: "Right now, there is no place for the 18-to-20 crowd to have fun in a safe environment, so we still want to provide that," PJ's management stated. Maybe they could all go to Dennis and a have Grand Slam breakfast and then go play their Wii, instead of ruining it for us normal customers?
AAgradstudent
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 10:30 p.m.
So happy about this! Thanks Derek Aldridge for making AA a safer place!
Dan Pepper
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 8:33 p.m.
..."The club's bouncers reported that shots were fired." Back in the day, shots were consumed.
cinnabar7071
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 8:51 p.m.
"Derek Aldridge said there was no shooting that evening " Somebody is not telling the truth.
Tom Teague
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 7:56 p.m.
Good for Mr. Aldridge: It's good to see him taking a community-minded, proactive step like this, especially when it's likely to cost him some revenue.
Joe_Citizen
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 7:55 p.m.
This kind of thing happens when kids get drunk. It's nothing new, except the they have went to knives and guns, from fist and feet. Much more volatile behavior is also present.
djm12652
Tue, Oct 25, 2011 : 7:31 p.m.
Wow...a voice of business reasoning! Good for you. Nip the reputation of a "Dream" in the bud now! I've always enjoyed PJ's and Goodnite Gracie's since I've lived downtown. And I agree about that parking lot. I've walked the dog by there numerous nights to witness the very same thing.