Club Wizzards, the site of a deadly shooting this past fall, recently reopened under new management as Club Atlantis.
In late November, police engaged in a gun battle at Club Wizzards, located at 3801 Chestnut St. After allegedly shooting the disc jockey twice, Larry Sanders, 31, of the 500 block of N. 54th St., was shot dead by Penn Police.
As a result of the incident, the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections issued a Cease to Operate order against the club, calling it a "public nuisance."
Nuisance actions, according to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, could result in a court order to padlock an establishment.
The opening of Club Atlantis has caused mixed feelings among some of the other establishments in the area.
"I do worry," said Suncha, an employee at the nearby Koreana Restaurant who did not want to give her full name.
"But I do see a lot of security guards" in the area near the new Club Atlantis, Suncha added.
Mina Upadhyaya, manager of the 7-11 convenience store located across the street from Club Atlantis, expressed fewer reservations about the club's re-opening.
The club "does give us business," she said.
Upadhyaya also said she saw no problem with the reopening, "as long as they get their job done [and] have good security."
Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush said that the Division of Public Safety interacts with area businesses on a regular basis to ensure safety on and near campus.
"DPS works regularly with city agencies, as well as retail and liquor establishments in the University City area, to help create a safe and vibrant environment where our community members and visitors can enjoy the diversity of retails shops, restaurants and local law-abiding liquor establishments," she said.
Club Wizzards had no history of adjudicated citations for violations of the Liquor Code with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, according to the PLCB.
Currently, there is a metal detector at Club Atlantis' entrance and security guards present at the door. It is not clear if those measures were in place the day of the shooting.
The PLCB has not imposed additional security conditions on the club since the shooting, a PLCB spokeswoman said.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's office and the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections could have placed security conditions on the club. Neither office could be reached for comment yesterday.
The manager of Club Atlantis declined to comment for this article and the former owner of Club Wizzards could not be reached for comment.
