Closing Linden Liquors is wrong

Imagine you risk your life savings and put in 80, 90 or 100 hours a week to build a business in a less-charming part of Charm City.

Now imagine that the police come and take your business away from you because you didn’t do their job, as well.

Businessman Chang Yim was one such entrepreneur — with a liquor store in a part of town tourists avoid. “I’ve put $500,000 into this business in a difficult neighborhood,” Yim told The Examiner’s Stephen Janis.

This isn’t an ordinary man-fights-city-hall story. Yim’s Linden Liquors, in Reservoir Hill, was a hotbed for crime and controversy. The city said there were 17 drug-related incidents in less than three months in or near his store. In July, a man was slain there.

Instead of providing more police, the police decided to shut down Linden Liquors under Baltimore’s revised “padlock law.”

Yim didn’t just lose his store. He is still on the hook for the rent. He estimates he’s paying $3,500 every month for a location the city stole from him.

Yim isn’t alone. Businessmen across the city are struggling with crime and finding themselves battling — with police. City Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld has moved to close Jimmy’s Carryout in Reservoir Hill, calling it a “problem establishment.” When that doesn’t work, Bealefeld’s next move might be to close Reservoir Hill, as one sure way to keep criminals out.

But every city neighborhood has crime. What some city neighborhoods need is more crime fighting.

Beloved former City Councilman Kenneth Harris Sr. was shot to death during a robbery at the New Haven Lounge near Morgan State University. New Haven’s owner criticized police because that was the second time in three months his club had been robbed. Owner Keith Covington said the police had “neglected” Northwood Plaza.

Both Yim and Covington have some things in common. They couldn’t afford security and horrible things happened. Harris was gunned down by one of three armed robbers. How much security do you need to fend off three armed robbers? Two full-time, gun-toting guards? Three?

I doubt Baltimore’s shiniest stores and top-flight businesses have that much security. No one could afford it. That’s why we are lucky enough to have hard-working police on the beat protecting us.

That’s where Bealefeld and Mayor Sheila Dixon are wrong. They are chasing away businessmen who already have it tough.

Baltimore doesn’t have a business problem. It has a crime problem. But the draconian solution of closing businesses instead of closing down criminals shows the mayor has no understanding of life outside city hall.

How come the city can seize businesses and the sane people of Baltimore can’t seize the government? Until that happens, cautious businessmen will locate elsewhere.

Dan Gainor can be reached at [email protected].