License revocation at La Crosse’s Latino Bar bar could lead to closer look at underage drinking culture, says one city council member

There’s hope among La Crosse city leaders that the recent vote to suspend a tavern license will be an example to other businesses in the city.

By a unanimous vote last week, the city council took away the liquor license of the Latino Bar on 5th Avenue in downtown La Crosse, following numerous complaints of underage drinking and police calls to the business.

“We do need to look at the culture, the drinking culture in La Crosse,” said council member Erin Goggin, who made the motion to revoke the bar’s license after a City Hall hearing. “And we need to work as several different bodies to try to fix that reputation.”

La Crosse police claim the Latino Bar did not help reduce the number of underage customers, but the business owners have disputed that.

The revocation came after more than a hundred calls to police about problems at the tavern over three years.

Goggin said evidence presented during the hearing showed that the bar was given chances to avoid punishment, “and the business just chose to ignore those chances. When we’re talking about underage drinkers in La Crosse, sometimes we do have to step in, and watch out for kids that might not be watching out for themselves.”