Jefferson City hookah lounge closes doors

After weeks of complaints from nearby residents, the owner of Golden Smoke Hookah Lounge confirmed he is closing the shop.

This comes one week after the city sent a letter to owner Corey Hykes, stating the Lounge on High Street was not abiding by the city-issued business license.

The lounge was the subject of numerous complaints since its May 2016 opening, including parties taking place in the early hours of the morning, lewd behavior on the sidewalk and excessive noise.

One nearby resident, who did not want to be identified, told ABC 17 News the problems were constant.

“Trash on the streets, loud, noisy, you know until 4 or 5 a.m,” the resident said. “It’s…we all work here. We have to get up and go to work. And it’s definitely interrupted our lives, and it’s just not been a good situation all the way around.”

In a second letter obtained by ABC 17 News sent by the city to Hykes last week, the city lists multiple violations that were not addressed with a proper plan.

The violations included a lack of fire barriers, rear exits and the need for a second restroom.

The letter said the hookah lounge has until Oct. 21 to submit a plan and timeline to the city on how it will address the violations.

ABC 17 News asked Hykes why he chose to close the shop before the city’s deadline. Hykes said, “we were tired of being messed with.”

Hykes said he hoped to reopen the shop, but was not sure when that may be.

“I hate for any small business to close,” the resident said. “This one was just put in a wrong area. I don’t think that it should’ve, you know, from the beginning should not have been put in a mostly residential neighborhood. I’m looking forward to some peaceful weekends.”

Jefferson City Administrator Steve Crowell said the status of the business license issued to Golden Smoke Hookah Lounge is “inactive.”