The City of Cincinnati together with the Board of Health has taken legal action against a Clifton neighborhood hookah bar, which has been at the center of various community complaints and city reports. Bohemian Hookah Lounge, located on Ludlow Avenue, is accused of violations that include selling tobacco products to underage individuals and operating without a valid tobacco license.
Injunctions were filed on Wednesday by the city, claiming the establishment not only served tobacco to those under 21, but also it did so without the necessary proper licensing. According to FOX19, Mike Anagnostou, a local business owner, expressed relief at the legal steps being taken against the hookah bar, stating, "We’ve been trying to get the city to take action against them for two and a half years, so the business association and the community are very happy about this."
In addition to the alleged illegal tobacco sales, the Bohemian Hookah Café has been tied to loud street parties and subsequent crime raising concerns in the area. Despite the community's outcry over these disturbances, the lawsuit filed by the city focuses predominantly on the accusations of illicit tobacco sales and the defiance of the Ohio Smoke Free Workplace Act through allowing indoor smoking without an exemption. This information comes from a report by WLWT, which notes the facility's failed attempts to secure an exemption to permit such practices.
The fallout from the ongoing situation has seen the city pushing the court to order the cessation of business at the hookah lounge, and for its owners to face fines for their actions. "The indoor smoking lounge has 'repeatedly violated' the Ohio Smoke Free Workplace Act," according to court documents obtained by WCPO. Neighbors have also linked the venue to potential violence, in addition to the illegal alcohol sales mentioned in complaints.
Despite local frustrations with the business, the legal proceedings thus far center on health and code violations rather than community concerns. Anagnostou, whose enterprise, Ludlow Wines, lies across the street from the hookah bar expressed frustration with the noise and disturbance, emphasizing that community members simply wish for peace especially "after a certain hour," as per his interview with FOX19. For Clifton residents and business owners alike, the lawsuit provides a glimmer of hope for the restoration of tranquility to their streets.
