Palatine to Consider Later Hours for Hotshots

The Palatine Village Council will consider at their meeting Tuesday whether to grant Hotshots, 53 W. Slade St., a new liquor license that would allow the bar and restaurant to remain open later.

Hotshots currently can be open until midnight during the week and 1 a.m. on the weekends. The new license would allow the establishment to be open until 1 a.m. during the week and until 3 a.m. on the weekends.

"We feel at a disadvantage with our current license due to the fact that the competitions (Pop's, Bauer['s] Brauhouse, Lamplighters Inn, Etc.) around us all have the Class D-1 license," Hotshots owner Tim O'Brien wrote in a letter to village officials.

"By granting the extended hours we feel this would even out the playing field between our neighboring restaurants/grills and making us more competitive in these hard economic times," O'Brien stated.

One hurdle Hotshots could face in getting the new license is that a requirement for a D-1 license is seating for 75, Hotshots has seating for 56. The Village Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Village Hall 200 E. Wood St.

Hotshots owners – Dave Conforti and O'Brien – billed the business as a family friendly sports bar when it was first up for approval by the Village Council last summer. O'Brien now is the sole owner of the business and has said that he plans to focus on the businesses food which he believes can be a draw for the establishment.

Hotshots did face some opposition when it was up for approval. Robert Guss III, whose wife Amber Mullins owned Ms. Bossy Boots at 43 W. Slade St. said Hotshots would not be a good fit for that area of downtown.

Aside from the extended hours, Hotshots will seek an entertainment permit.

The permit would allow Hotshots to offer live music, D.J. shows and karaoke. The performances would be held at night starting after 9 p.m. Palatine's Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 in favor of the entertainment permit on Jan. 25.