We would like to encourage everyone to attend a community meeting on Monday, April 23, to discuss the future of J’s Café, which is located in the Crystal Plaza shopping center on Route 197. J’s owners have proposed to reopen as a sports bar and grill. At previous meetings with the owners, the community’s overwhelming sentiment was for the liquor license either to be revoked or for J’s Café to reopen as a full-fledged restaurant that served wine and beer, but not as a sports bar that also serves food.
We have invited J’s owners to come to this meeting prepared to outline a new business plan more in line with the community’s request to open as a restaurant whose sales are based on food rather than liquor.
The meeting will be held at 7 pm at the Touch of Love Bible Church, 13503 Baltimore Ave. (corner of Route 1 and Contee Road, behind the new Sakura Steak House).
Many community members have already signed a petition opposing renewal of J’s liquor license due to the shooting death in January of a patron in the club’s parking lot – the third such murder there in two years. The Prince George’s County Liquor Board has scheduled a protest hearing for May 2 at 7 pm, at which time it may
change the way the club does business or revoke J’s liquor license altogether, presumably taking into account the community’s preferences.
Please plan to attend this community meeting on April 23 – and also the Liquor Board hearing on May 2 – to be assured that your voice is heard and that you are fully informed on the issues.
Let’s make Laurel a safe and prosperous community.
Maria Agres
Coordinator, Coalition for Laurel Area Safety and Prosperity (CLASP)
