Valley Brook City Council Considering Controversial Coffee Shop

The issue of whether to close a coffee shop because of its clientele is percolating in a local city council.

Council members are giving the shop three more months before they make a final decision. The hope during that three month period is for both sides to sit down, and try to come up with some sort of resolution.

Joe's Addiction is surrounded by adult entertainment, and the owner questions why they're a target.

Valley Brook city councilman, Lewis Nieman says Joes Addiction coffee shop has put him and the city council in a tough spot. He says a petition signed by more than 150 residents is not asking that the coffee shop close for good, but relocate and leave Valley Brook.

"The residents of Valley Brook are not happy. They do feel that Joe's is bringing unscrupulous type people, catering to the sex offenders," said Neiman.

7/20/2012 Related Story: 17 People Arrested At Valley Brook Strip Club

This month would have been be the end for the unconventional coffee house, but last week, Neiman, and three other members on the council gave it, a "temporary" three month license. Meanwhile, the council is getting a lot of backlash from supporters of the coffee shop who say the place of refuge is being singled out.

"I don't see why they should shut it down, I mean, if they're going to shut that down, they ought to think about shutting down these strip clubs," said resident, Phillip Gifford.

"There haven't been any issues with the strip clubs, and definitely not to this degree," said Nieman.

But around this time last summer, right next door to Joe's, 17 employees were arrested for alleged lewd acts inside Little Darlings strip club. It was the largest raid of that nature for the Oklahoma County Sheriff's office.

Just this past February, a man stabbed three people at Little Darlings, two of them multiple times.

"They allow that, but they don't allow a coffee shop," said Gifford.

The Valley Brook city council will meet again when the temporary license at Joe's expires in September. 

5/8/2013 Related Story: Owner Fighting Valley Brook City Council's Push To Close Coffee Shop