Western Avenue is in flux. Wander north of the Green Line tracks and you’ll find a typical urban industrial area. Drive south of the Eisenhower Expressway and you enter relatively quiet Tri-Taylor.

But between Jackson and Lake lies a stretch of Western that’s long had a rough-and-tumble reputation. That’s something local community groups and the city have been striving to change for years, nurturing businesses as the Chicago Housing Authority has torn down projects around that stretch. The street now features boutiques, a Walgreens, the Blackhawks’ official practice ice rink and if construction goes as planned, soon a Pete’s Fresh Market.

But one main business there remains a blight on the stretch: Adams Food & Liquor, at 219 S. Western Ave., a store that consistently attracts loiterers, gang activity and murders. Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) and Near West Side community leaders are taking the business to task and trying to shut it down through a process called “deleterious impact hearings,” in which opponents testify about a business’ negative effect on the neighborhood before the city’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection. Based on the hearings, the city develops a list of changes that businesses need to make, and they’re shut down if they don’t.

Mike Quinlan, who works on economic development along Western for the Near West Side Chamber of Commerce, said the first hearing about two weeks ago was jam-packed — about 40 people showed up.

While he’s tried for years to work on sprucing up the street, Adams Liquor has consistently been a black eye.

“You can’t walk by the store without someone trying to sell you loose cigarettes in front of it — I’ve had someone try to sell me puppies,” Quinlan said. “I’ve got neighbors who say customers defecate and urinate on their lawns and leave graffiti on their homes.”

The store has been around for so long that for years neighbors just took it for granted, he said. But with the rest of the changes along Madison, he said, it’s suddenly become more visible.

“This liquor store comes under fire because there are other things we’ve cleaned up that make you become more aware of it. Madison and Western used to be a lot crazier than it is right now. We’ve had all these new businesses come in and really stabilize things,” Quinlan said. “It just feels so much like a final foothold from a time that’s quickly passing this neighborhood by. It’s really dramatic when you look at all the pieces.”

The store has consistently attracted violence to the area, too. Just last Sunday, Nov. 11, three people were shot near the store, including a 15-year-old boy. In March, a man was stabbed to death in front of the store in a gang-related dispute.

When Chicago Journal stopped by last week, one of the men standing in front of Adams Liquor defended the store. Jeffrey Foy, who sells individual cigarettes in front of the store, denied that crime happens outside the store, and he blames the alderman for trying to “flip” the area.

“This is the only place a person can get a cold beer,” Foy said. “We’re not causing any trouble. Most guys are just selling loose cigarettes to feed their families.

“My personal opinion is [the alderman] don’t want us in the community.”

At the deleterious impact hearings, Adams’ owner Ahmad Keshta didn’t show up. Instead, his attorney, former Cook County board member Tony Peraica, testified on the owner’s behalf.

When called after the hearing, Peraica said the store’s owners are having a tough time running the shop but denied they were violating any laws.

“The area there is a very challenging area that is in transition,” he said. “They share [neighbors’ and officials’] concerns, because it’s not in their benefit to have the place under siege all the time.”

While the owners have tried to combat the loitering, there aren’t many more options available to them, Peraica said.

“They have professional security personnel, but they’re limited in terms of what they can do,” Peraica said. “It’s a free country; people can congregate on the sidewalk if they want to. If the community feels they would be better off with another shutdown, boarded-up business, then OK.”

Keshta, the store’s owner, said he can’t do much about the people outside.

“I think the people in the street don’t have anything to do with any human being on my side,” he said. “They come and they buy something, welcome. I can’t tell them what to do. This is a free country.”

If the city determines that they’re responsible for what happens outside, he’ll simply shut Adams down and level the rest of the building, which he also owns.

“I pay taxes inside, not outside,” Keshta said. “If somebody complained and says that the store has to be responsible for the people on the sidewalk, we can’t do this, no. We’ll knock it down.”

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By Brenda
Posted: 05/11/2013 1:49 AM

I don't know how to react on this issue, after all I'm really confuse of the truth behind this case. - Brenda Lee Reed

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By Mike from West Haven
Posted: 11/29/2012 3:44 PM

The next hearing date is Wednesday, December 13th @ 11a. Room 805, City Hall. Attendance is crucial to removing this blight from the community.

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By steve k from west side
Posted: 11/21/2012 1:43 AM

it appears that the store has been closed for several days now. anyone know if this is due to violations or is it shut down permanently?

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By slooplady from so loop
Posted: 11/18/2012 8:50 AM

Is it not a crime to sell cigs on the streets? Cmon cops -arrest these folks. Start cracking down on the obvious criminals.

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By Gladys from West Side
Posted: 11/17/2012 0:08 AM

alls i can say is i aint sure that Fioretiz dosant likes blacks peoples

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By Mari from Tri Taylor
Posted: 11/16/2012 6:56 PM

Alderman Fioretti did not drive out Felony Franks. The market drove Felony Franks out of business. Who was going to get out of their car to get a hot dog and fries with drug dealers circling the corner. Felony Franks never had a chance, the sign permit was a non factor. When Rockwell came down I believed I could walk down Western. Now with the new housing things are the same. Drug dealers line the 200 block of Western every day all day. I think it will take more then closing the liquor store

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By craig jackson from westside
Posted: 11/16/2012 11:13 AM

I grew up in that neighborhood when it was a neighborhood (yes you can have those even with projects) Unfortunately when there is no one to empower you,youmust empower yourself the more affluent residents who are moving in have nothing to offer the indigent population but eviction, being poor doesnt suit their lifestyle but why should they if you dont care enoung about where you live by littering and loitering with wild abandon why should anyone else especially they PAYING residents .

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By David from Near West Side
Posted: 11/15/2012 4:39 PM

Sam hit it on the head. These bs owners of these gas stations, food and liquor stores on the city's south and west sides; just want a big payout either from the city or business person for the property. The only times they will close their business for good, is when they either get a court order to shut down or when one of their family members is killed.

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By Cardigan from Shipman
Posted: 11/15/2012 3:50 PM

This is simply another example of a Bissness ownere in a Blighted Neighborhood whom as benifited from the blight and low taxes, and refuses to take any resposibilty for his contribution to the continuance of it. Does not recognize whats happening around him and yet he drives into and out of this community every day? We cannot tolerate this type of business in our community any longer.

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By Martin from Near West Side
Posted: 11/15/2012 2:30 PM

I agree with Peraica, shutting this place down would indeed be "OK." Anyone opposed to closing the store should go walk by it, particularly on a weekend evening. Double-parked cars, fistfights, and general loitering make for a hostile and dangerous situation. The rest of the neighborhood is quiet, while the most recent shooting on Monday occurred where shootings here usually do: on Western between Adams and Jackson. The store owner cannot absolve himself from this responsibility.

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By Gladys from United Center
Posted: 11/15/2012 11:56 AM

Shut it down. Sam, your ideas are great. There is no reason that the stretch of Western (or Damen) from Jackson to Lake should be so blighted. Let\'s take back our community, and make it strong. We are close to downtown, transit, expressways and main arteries -- the community is sitting on a gold mine. Invest! Invest! Invest!

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By Sam from Far West Side
Posted: 11/15/2012 10:44 AM

In other words, the owner of this liquor store wants someone to buy him out. That is why he never left the area. Hey mom/pop businesses (cleaners, hair salon, sit down diner, daycare center) Jimmy Johns, Walmart Market, Aldi's, CVS, Dollar Tree, Trader Joe's, Family Dollar, Starbucks, or Dollar General. Make him an offer. PS this area is by the Western Avenue, Blue Line-Forest Park station.

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By Western resident from Near West Side
Posted: 11/15/2012 9:58 AM

"If the community feels they would be better off with another shutdown, boarded-up business, then OK.” Actually in this case, Mr. Peraica, the community would be better off if this business closed. Threatening to create yet another empty lot if the building owner does not get his way is not likely to win him many fans, either.

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By Alan from West Loop
Posted: 11/15/2012 9:15 AM

Alderman Fioretti drove away this joint's neighbor, Felony Franks. It appears this place has a better lawyer in Mr. Peraica. He's certainly a better connected lawyer.