U&I Tavern won't battle to get its liquor license back

SNOHOMISH — Keith Allen's efforts to clean up the trouble-plagued U&I Tavern are over.

Allen said this week that he won't appeal a March 7 court decision that upheld the state Liquor Control Board's revocation of his liquor license.

The bar has been shuttered since Sept. 20, but Allen had the option of taking the Snohomish County judge's decision to the state Court of Appeals. The Liquor Control Board revoked Allen's license after a fatal fight outside the bar and other problems.

Allen said he is trying to find someone to buy out his 10-year lease. Since closing the bar in September, he has spoken to a few interested people but said nobody has been serious about buying.

The building owner, Gabriel Poll of Mercer Island, has declined to comment on the status of the property at 907 First St.

When Allen took over the tavern in late 2001, it already had a reputation as one of this city's rowdiest bars. Allen installed security cameras, met with Snohomish Police Chief Rob Sofie and gave the tavern a sports-bar theme in an effort to change its image.

On Feb. 26, 2002, an altercation that began in the tavern between U&I customer Gary McAdam and another customer, Tony Cullum, continued outside and resulted in McAdam's death.

Cullum, a fisherman, was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and sentenced in October to eight years in prison.

For the U&I, that was the last straw.

Sofie pushed for the Liquor Control Board to revoke Allen's liquor license, saying Allen or his employees should have called 911 sooner. Sofie also cited the repeated police calls to the tavern. The Liquor Control Board agreed and revoked his license.

Allen appealed to Snohomish County Superior Court but lost. He said he has no plans to take the case any further.

Tricia Currier, a spokeswoman for the state board, said history would have no bearing on issuing a new liquor license if someone else should try to operate a tavern there.

"It may come up as a red flag for the local government because they've had some problems with that particular place," Currier said. "But it doesn't mean the new people would have these same type of issues."

Sofie said he has warned the city's other 14 taverns and restaurants with liquor licenses on or near First Street that "we're not going to allow another repeat situation of what happened at the U&I."

Jennifer Sullivan: 425-783-0604 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com