ST. CHARLES, Mo. – A couple of bars are already history along historic Main Street in St. Charles.
It's only been four days since new liquor laws went into effect.
“I think some others will come and then hopefully they will know the rules before they come in," business owner Genevieve Kaufman said.
It's been three years since she first opened up her Mexican restaurant with her business partner Poncho in downtown St. Charles.
"We have many customers that come in frequently and new customers every day," she said.
Kaufman said in her time the historical district she's watched the strip thrive but said she has seen a lot of changes on Main Street recently.
"A lot of people were upset about it," she said.
Last year, a new set of rules for late night bars took effect in the district. The new law specifically targeted three blocks on main street that feature more than a dozen bars that remain open until 1:30 a.m.
Two of the biggest changes require at least 50 percent of a restaurant's revenue comes from food sales and no more than 50 percent from alcohol. There's also a new point system for violations, which could result in them losing their liquor license but this also applies to the entire city.
"We've been doing the same business and it didn't affect me as much as it does the other businesses," she said.
At least two late night bars, Bobby's Place and Undertow on the Main have recently shut their doors. The new liquor laws are partly to blame.
"I feel bad for them, but I wasn't 100 percent aware that it was because of that that they left. I just speculated that it probably was," she said.
Kaufman agreed that most of the rules were necessary to create a more family-friendly environment on Main Street.
"I think they were trying to curb a lot of drinking, a lot of underage drinking and making it more of a restaurant district," she said. "Main Street has been here a longer than any of us and I think that we will continue to be strong for tourists and for the public. I have faith in main street."
Councilman Dave Beckering said instead of seeing nightclubs, he would like Main Street to be more of a restaurant area. Right now, there are more than a dozen bars currently open on Main Street. However, they can stay open just as long as they follow the rules.
