Club Allure Stripped of Liquor License: The Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo, along with local residents, won a major victory with the revocation of the liquor license previously granted to a strip club built next to the Missionary Sisters’ convent. During the week of November 7, 2016, the Stone Park Liquor Commission revoked the liquor license previously issued to the Club Allure strip club based on a finding that it violated an ordinance forbidding a liquor license within 100 feet of a church. The Village of Stone Park Code of Ordinances (“Village Code”) states that “No license shall be issued for the sale of any alcoholic liquor within 100 feet of any church or school.”

The Stone Park Liquor Control Commissioner (who is also Stone Park’s Mayor) revoked the liquor license of Club Allure based on the complaint filed by Thomas More Society. Since the term “church” is not defined in the Village Code or in the Illinois Liquor Control Act, the Stone Park Liquor Control Commissioner relied upon the facts presented in a similar case in which the courts held that a convent chapel, like the three chapels located on the property of the Missionary Sisters, was a “church” based on evidence that it was open to the public for Mass, benediction, prayers and devotions and contained all the necessities for the ordinary functions of a Catholic church.

“We are hopeful that the revocation of Club Allure’s liquor license is a significant step in shutting down Club Allure permanently,” said Thomas More Society special counsel Joan Mannix.

Read the Village of Stone Park Liquor Commission Opinion and Order here.

Read additional background information here.