HAWTHORNE : Pool Hall Owner Sues to Get Liquor Permit
The owner of a billiards parlor has sued Hawthorne and the City Council in a bid to get a liquor permit.
Jerry Jamgotchian, owner of South Bay Billiards, filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday asking a judge to force the city to issue him a permit, which would let him apply for a state liquor license. He is also seeking $100,000 in legal fees and estimated lost revenue.
Jamgotchian’s action comes nearly two months after the City Council denied him a liquor permit for his El Segundo Boulevard business. Council members said the pool hall is unsuitable for alcohol sales because it is near Hawthorne High School.
“I’ve been fighting to get this permit for five years,” Jamgotchian said. “All my competitors in the billiards business can serve alcohol, but I can’t.”
But Councilwoman Martha Bails said other pool halls “may serve liquor, but they’re not next door to a school.”
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
