Lan's Chicago

Old Town Karaoke Stalwart Won’t Reopen After Another Maskless Party | Eater Chicago

"City officials raided and ordered the permanent closure of a long-running Chinese‑American restaurant/club after citing it for COVID‑19 violations tied to private karaoke parties—alleging staff weren’t wearing masks and customers were mingling instead of remaining seated. Inspectors counted 27 people during the most recent incident (Chicago rules allowed either 50 people per room or 25% capacity, whichever is smaller), and this was the second raid in about a month after a video surfaced showing more than 60 people; the city cited the venue on January 14. The owner, 68-year-old Jimmy Ma, became known for hosting wild BYOB karaoke nights that began with a DVD machine and evolved into a professional sound system, and his son Jeffrey says the family staged parties out of desperation as sales plunged about 90% during the pandemic despite modest federal aid (roughly $4,000 in PPP and $11,000 in an EIDL). City inspectors also cited the business for building violations and lacking a liquor license and a “public place of amusement” license; officials say the venue could reopen if it submits a distancing plan (the family has an April court date), but the son says the citations likely spell its end. Fines for violations range from $100 to $10,000." - Ashok Selvam