Flirting With Licensing: Pole Dance Gym Wants Parties, Despite Neighbors' Dismay

Area residents don't want to flirt with the idea of seeing a particular local business receive public amusement and liquor licenses in the neighborhood.

Especially when that business' current B1-2 zoning—one neighbors knew would not allow for alcohol when it opened this past September—typically includes small-scale retails in mixed-use buildings, according to the city's zoning code.

But the owner of the neighborhood's recently opened Flirty Girl Fitness, 2215 N. Halsted St., has switched to a B3-2 zoning—an move approved by the City Council on Monday. That rezoning is intended to make way for amusement and liquor licenses.

Kerry Knee, who owns the pole dancing-based fitness center, says she applied for the licenses in order to book bachelorette parties and host other private events, according to a Sun-Times Media article.

"She said she needs the amusement license because she allows people to drop in for classes without being a member and because patrons sometimes will be charged a fee to attend private events," the report says. "But neighbors say the license also would allow for other events, including live music that could go until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends, which they don’t want on their mostly residential block."

Knee told reporters she has no plans to host live bands, though some events will feature a DJ, according to the story. Private parties may last from 10 p.m. until 1 a.m., she told the Sun-Times, "though she also anticipated 'rare' occasions when the party would keep flowing until 2 a.m."

Among Lincoln Park residents opposed to the licenses—and the rezoning—is Allan Mellis, who testified Monday against them all.

"The community does not need another place of public amusement license," he said. "The property has been zoned B1-2 since 2004 and Flirty Girl should have known that this zoning would not allow their operation prior to entering into a lease."

The rezoning was introduced to the council by Ald. Michele Smith, rather than the applicant. 

"In closing, I believe that Flirty Girl Fitness has probably misled Alderman Smith," Mellis said, in his testimony. "While it is unusual for the Zoning Committee to defer an Aldermanic ordinance, I think it is the best action in this case so there can be further discussions to address the new concerns brought up by the community."

Despite the rezoning's approval this week, dozens of neighbors agree with Mellis. Some were at a Wrightwood Neighbors Association meeting that evening.

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Flirty Girl sits in nearby Lincoln Central, near the border of the Sheffield Neighbors territory and adjacent to the Wrightwood Neighbors, Mid-North District and Park West communities.

In order for neighbors to request a hearing on the amusement license, they must get at least half of the registered voters living within 250 feet of Flirty Girl on board, Mellis said.

"This … is very difficult since the voters lists are out of date and also contain names of people no longer living at the address," he said in a written statement.

Some living within 250 feet of the business—64 people so far—already signed a letter saying the amusement license shouldn't be issued, citing its proximity to St. Vincent de Paul Center.

"And residents’ claims that it’s too close to a school won’t make the cut; St. Vincent’s is considered a private, early childhood facility and falls outside the definition of a public or private school that provides state mandated education as the term 'school,'" reports the Sun-Times Media.

The amusement and liquor licenses could be approved by the end of January.

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