NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A South Nashville bar has been forced to close by court order, not by choice, after authorities said it's become a nuisance to the public.

For years, the Metro Nashville Police Department said 404 Bar & Grill in the 400 block of Elysian Fields Road has been the center of trouble, ranging from illegal gambling and fights to incidents involving drugs and guns.

On Thursday, Aug. 7, Specialized Investigations Division detectives and Midtown Hills Precinct officers shut down the bar after a judge issued a temporary injunction and padlocking order.

Authorities said they've responded to more than 120 calls for service at the bar since 2020, with "regular goings on" including reports of gunfire, fights, vandalism, and security guard issues. Officers even intercepted a drug deal allegedly conducted by a known MS-13 gang member in a neighboring parking lot.

In addition, police said the Metro Beer Board has looked into several issues concerning the bar, including the sale of beer to at least three people who were underage.

According to law enforcement, MNPD and local officials have tried for years to work with 404 Bar & Grill's management, warning them and even inviting them to a community meeting in November to discuss the concerns of nearby businesses and residential property managers. However, the owners and operators reportedly ignored the warnings and skipped the community meeting.

"We've made numerous contacts with the owners and management at this location, telling them our concerns for the location, advising them that if things don't change that we're going to have to take further routes, and there's just been no change, and we've given them five years to do so," Midtown Hills Precinct Cmdr. Sean Richmond said.

The bar will remain shut down pending a hearing on Monday, Aug. 11. No criminal allegations have been filed against the owners.

"I know myself, and probably the rest of the community, was pretty excited about having sort of that neighborhood gathering place, and it just didn't turn out to be that way, unfortunately, and for the past five-and-a-half years, it has really been a problem and a concern for the community," Metro Councilmember Courtney Johnston said.

A resident at an apartment complex that backs up to 404 Bar & Grill told News 2 the bar's nightlife has made sleeping nearly impossible.

"The after-hours parties went sometimes until dawn and every night. I mean, [on] a holiday weekend, we would have parties all three nights. There were times I couldn't sleep in my bedroom because it was so loud," South Nashville resident Jessie Scott explained.

Not only was it loud, but it was also dangerous, according to Scott.

"Within the last month, there was a gun fired, and it hit one of the apartments in the complex that I live in," she described. "That is really, really hard to deal with. It's existential, and you don't want to be in a place where that is becoming the norm."

Scott told News 2 she's looking forward to not having to dial 311 every night.

"You call, and you don't know if anything has come of it, and that goes on week after week. You wonder whether you're ever going to have satisfaction, and this is closure," she said.

Johnston said if something new does move in, she hopes it is a business that cares about the community.

"We want people and businesses in the community to be a part of the community and an asset to the community, and so that's what I think the resolution is everyone is hoping for," Johnston concluded.

The Midtown Hills Precinct commander said officers will be conducting extra patrols to make sure nobody breaks into the bar while it’s closed. However, the years-long investigation that led to the padlocking is not over.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/neighbors-react-to-forced-closure-of-south-nashville-bar/