Africa International Restaurant & Nightclub’s liquor license suspended

We don't have a liquor license at that point it's suspended so I'm not sure if we're going to be open."

FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — A local business is no longer able to serve alcohol after Fargo City Commissioners vote to temporarily suspend its liquor license.

“I move that the commission find cause to immediately suspend the liquor license of International African restaurant LLC,” Fargo City Commissioner Dave Piepkorn said.

In a special commission meeting, Fargo City Commissioners vote unanimously to a 60 day temporary liquor license suspension for the restaurant and nightclub.

After numerous disturbance calls made to police between February and May, Chief David Zibolski shared why he believes the establishment is a concern to the community.

“This whole business is not only operating illegally by not keeping employment rosters, properly recording employee records, allowing people to bring guns into the facility and having them checked by a convicted felon, continuing to have instances of over serving is a continual drain of police resources,” Fargo Police Chief David Zibolski said.

Faced with a temporary suspension, the newly appointed general manager for the business says changes will be made to bring compliance standards up to par with city requirements.

“A complete overhaul of policies with employment and with serving and with security really just everything ground up, everything needs to change. No one is going to be working off the books. Everyone will be properly hired with proper new hire paperwork and properly reported to the state and federal governments,” Africa International Restaurant & Nightclub General Manager Stephen Baird said.

As the restaurant deals with new guidelines, Baird says its not looking good in terms of revenue for the holiday weekend.

“With the license suspended we can no longer operate that side of things. There is a restaurant associated with the business. We may decide to continue to leave that open. That’s something that I have to examine closely and make a decision. If we are open for the Fourth of July it would only be for food service. We don’t have a liquor license at that point it’s suspended so I’m not sure if we’re going to be open,” Baird said.

The suspension of the liquor license will remain for 60 days until commissioners discuss the outcome of the business. A hearing hasn’t been announced.