Quotes and Corvina's serve energetic, young crowds
On the agenda
The owners of Corvina’s bar are scheduled to appear before the city of Janesville’s Alcohol Licensing Advisory Committee at 8 a.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers at the City Hall, 18 N. Jackson St.
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Adam Sierra is stopped at the door by Quotes security team member Jason Schultz because his plain white T-shirt did not comply with the bar's dress code. Sierra went to his vehicle and put on a hooded sweatshirt and he was allowed in.
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A stage in the front window of Quotes gives security person Chad Suiter a higher vantage point to watch customers along with other security members.
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One of the security cameras inside Quotes bar keeps an eye on customers at all times.
JANESVILLE — “Hey bud, you can’t come in with a white T-shirt.”
“Really?”
Adam Sierra of Machesney Park, Ill., returned to Quotes Bar & Grill a few minutes later wearing a hoodie over his shirt. Bouncer Dustin DeJonghe let him in but first asked him to raise his hoodie to expose his waistband.
DeJonghe said he’d been instructed to check waistbands recently because of rumors that guns had been associated with some patrons of Corvina’s, a bar two blocks away.
Sierra later said he’d never been stopped from entering a bar because of a T-shirt, although he had no problem showing his waistband.
When told that management banned white T-shirts because it could be a sign of someone who has drugs for sale, Sierra scoffed. He said he grew up in Chicago and never heard of such a thing.
“They’re racial profiling,” Sierra said. “I’m a Mexican-American—I look menacing.”
The issue of how bar owners control their patrons, right down to the dress code, has become an issue this summer as police have focused on Corvina’s, another downtown bar that has bouncers and a dress code.
A controversy erupted when Corvina’s bar owner Janelle Barlass accused police of unfair treatment because her clients often are black.
Some in the community have questioned the dress code at Quotes, 24 N. Main St., suggesting it targets black men. Quotes owner Denise Carpenter said it’s essential for crowd management.
The code bans beads and braids, excessively baggy clothing, plain white T-shirts, “athletic gear, warm-ups, nylon suits, bandanas, do-rags, headbands”, “gang colors or affiliated apparel,” earpieces and sunglasses.
Many of these items are allowed at nearby Corvina’s, which draws a much more heavily minority crowd, although Barlass said she does not allow gang apparel.
In both cases, the purpose is to keep out those who might cause trouble, both Barlass and Carpenter said.
Quotes’ longest-serving bouncer, Larry Phillips, said he’s been hearing for years the complaint that the dress code targets people like him—black people.
Most complaints come from blacks, but Phillips said he tells them: “It’s not just one color. It’s all colors.”
Asked if the code helps, Phillips is emphatic: “Yeah, a lot. That cuts down on a lot of fights.”
“Braids aren’t going to cause a fight. It’s just young people and alcohol. That’s all it is,” said Duane White, a Corvina’s bartender.
“Nine-tenths of things related to hip-hop culture, sadly, are also related to gang culture,” said Matt Schreier, who runs Looking Glass, another downtown bar.
“By no means is anybody trying to discriminate against anybody,” but they are trying to keep the gang culture out, Schreier said.
It’s Carpenter who came up with the notion that plain, white T-shirts signal drugs for sale.
Police said they haven’t heard that.
Plain white T’s on a group of young men would make a Madison cop look twice, said Lt. Stephanie Bradley-Wilson, who works on Madison’s south side.
“But it’s also a cheap way to buy some clothing,” said Bradley-Wilson, who grew up in Beloit.
Bradley-Wilson said she had never heard of hair braids being a sign of gang affiliation.
Carpenter said she developed her dress code from searching the Internet to see what other bars around the country have done.
A dress code can help a bar owner maintain order, Bradley-Wilson said.
“I think the first thing is it does keep out a certain element of people, and there is a place for a dress code as long as it is enforced consistently,” Bradley-Wilson said.
Carpenter said she treats everyone the same—blonde braids are banned just like black ones.
Athletic shoes, sagging trousers and hats all might indicate gang involvement. “But it may also be a fashion statement,” Bradley-Wilson said.
“My code, basically, is: ‘Trash is trash.’ It’s male. It’s female. It comes in every color and every age,” Carpenter said. “And it isn’t designed to keep out one kind of person. It’s to keep out one type of behavior.”
Corvina’s has bouncers and a dress code whose focus is to keep gang activity out, Barlass said. White T-shirts and baggy clothing were allowed into Corvina’s on the night of July 24.
While Corvina’s is the most recent bar to raise police eyebrows, other bars have had problems from time to time. Often, the formula for problems is a young crowd mixed with liberal doses of alcohol.
Those elements were present at Corvina’s on a recent Friday night, but a Gazette reporter observed no fights, no arrests and noticed no illicit aromas during several hours of observation.
Quotes seemed to pass the night peacefully, too.
Both bars had boisterous, dancing crowds, although Corvina’s had less elbow room and lower lighting, and an edgier, hip-hop-dominated sound boiling from the speakers.
Quotes’ crowd was racially mixed but mostly white. Corvina’s was mixed but at least half black.
It was wall-to-wall bodies after midnight at Corvina’s. Music throbbed. People talked, drank, played pool, danced and stood around the dance floor.
If Hollywood were casting for extras to populate a young crowd at an urban bar, they’d hit the jackpot here. It’s not a scene most residents are used to seeing in Janesville.
Friends shook hands, hugged or chest-bumped as they greeted each other. The walls and ceiling are painted black, and strobes flashed over the crowd.
People sang or chanted familiar lyrics.
Patrons began to exit the bar around 2 a.m., crowding the area around the corner and sidewalk on Parker Drive. They laughed and talked, some loudly. About 25 men and women hung out for about 30 minutes, and the crowd gradually dissipated.
A few people also left Wiggy’s, the bar next door on Parker Drive.
Three uniformed police officers were on foot in the immediate vicinity, keeping Corvina’s in sight but generally staying away from the crowd.
There was no trouble. Just another night at the bars.
Cops and Corvina’s
A minor incident at Corvina’s bar might illustrate the relationship between police, who have a heightened awareness of the place, and bar patrons, who might feel they’re being unfairly targeted.
It was 1:50 a.m. Saturday, June 13. An officer was in a squad car at the corner of Milwaukee Street and Parker Drive. He was waiting for the light to change when he heard a woman using coarse language in a loud voice.
The voice was coming from Corvina’s, just across the street.
“Based on the number of incidents when officers are needed at this particular address on weekends, I decided to check and make sure this was not a fight or other problem before it escalated,” the officer wrote. “As there were people standing around the doors while I was walking down the street, I believed that if this was a fight, it would attract more people and escalate further. …”
“As I had walked into the bar, several patrons had come up to me, telling me they did not need police in the bar and we were just more or less causing problems,” the officer wrote.
The bouncer pushed those people back and told them to just let the officer do his job.
Two other officers arrived to assist. A 30-year-old Janesville woman told the officer that it was simply a discussion with a man who had since left the bar, and she was just yelling over the noise.
The bouncers were not aware of any problem, the officer wrote.
“It did not appear there were any problems at the bar. This was just a noisy location, and with the door open I could hear it flow out into the street,” the officer concluded.
Police contacts
Janesville police records show these numbers of police contacts with downtown bars from Jan. 1 to July 22:
Quotes 87
Corvina’s 69
Looking Glass 27
Main Street Saloon 27
Wiggy’s 17
Legends 16
Other Janesville establishments licensed to sell alcohol that had more than 30 police contacts include:
Janesville Travel Plaza Liquor 165
Pick ’N Save 84
Mulligan’s Convenience Store 57
Jumbo’s Pub 46
East Point Sports Club 42
Holiday Inn Express 39
Milton Avenue Pizza Hut 38
Logli’s 36
Buffalo Wild Wings 35
Alfresco 32
Janesville Performing Arts Center 32
Park Place Pub 31
Note: Police contacts might include walk-throughs or incidents that occurred outside of the establishments that are not necessarily connected to the establishments.
Dec 4, 2009 at 6:36 p.m.
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Sure, SpongeBob. And you're every bar coyote's favorite form of birth control. You love to soak up those little swimmers.
Aug 10, 2009 at 9:16 p.m.
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i want to correct something in my comment i meant irisheyes not ladyfc....even though im not the biggest fan of her comment either!
Aug 10, 2009 at 8:39 p.m.
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Ok i am a bartender at quotes and love it, and if you dont like the dress codes or events that occur there thats just fine. everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But the dress code has illuminated a large amount of problems that happen down at quotes. None of the dress code is meant to be racist or offensive to anyone personally. Seeing we do have black, white, and asian customers, also we have had and have black bouncers as said in the article from our wonderful bouncer Larry who has been there for years. And for that comment left by ladyfc, as a bartender at quotes i think that you are an overly judgmental girl who is confused. None of us bartenders walk in thinking we are sooo hot and better than everyone we are women who are putting ourselves through college or just trying to make a living during this time of a poor economy, the last thing of our worries is to look or feel better than anyone. So instead of sitting her judging us without having even a sliver of a clue on who we are as people, take the time to actually approach us and find out who we really our first. Now i love all of our customers and some of them are good friends. Also I am far from racist and love everyone. If i am mean its because someone is mean or rude to me for no reason. So come in sometime and have a drink you might actually enjoy it.
Aug 5, 2009 at 10:06 p.m.
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Can I just say "Zoot Suit Riots??"
PS IF my brother would have called the police, they would have then had issues with his girl seeing her daughter. But THAT is another story...
Side note~He has been informed he will be getting unlimited amount of FREE service if he comes back there..Makes one wonder...
Aug 5, 2009 at 4:43 p.m.
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I see that racism is alive and well on this board too. I am not surprised. No wonder Janesville is in going down the drain.
Aug 4, 2009 at 10:16 p.m.
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You're an idiot.
Aug 4, 2009 at 9:27 p.m.
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this has to be the most racist, prejudice and unrealistic article i have ever read. the federal government should send federal agents down here to regulate the police department and city counsel. this is pure ethnic and racial prejudice i have ever heard of and this isn't the first time. this is the same racial and ethnic profiling that has been occurring in this town since the 1994 to 1999 minority round up lockup when the minority population was profiled and harassed on a daily basis. several minorities were locked for decades on several questionable charges. mrs carpenter knows what i am talking about. her husband and mr. white sent several minorities to prison. these minorities had no real representation and no money. they all took plea bargains and most are still locked up with ridiculous amounts of time in prison. this sh-t needs to come to an end.
Aug 4, 2009 at 9:11 a.m.
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Great description, Irisheyes....
Aug 3, 2009 at 10:54 p.m.
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Honestly why would anyone want to waste their time and go to Quotes? What is the main attraction that makes people want to go there? The bouncers are jerks, the bartenders think they are hot stuff when in all honesty they are not...Including the owner herself, acting and dressing like she is in her 20's when really she is not. I have not gone to this bar in a long time, and I don't plan on changing that anytime soon. As far as Corvina's I have never been there, so I am not one to really judge about what it's like there. If these places are that big of a problem, then the city needs to step up and do something about it, or else it's going to get out of hand.
Aug 3, 2009 at 9:51 p.m.
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By not allowing the freedom of fashion, Quotes has just created a "gang" of their own.
Aug 3, 2009 at 7:55 p.m.
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A bouncer wouldn't let me into quotes a couple weeks ago becuase I had a motorcycle jacket on "that i could conceal something in" and was carrying a helmet. mind you the bouncer watched me pull up and park my bike out in front. oh and I'm white. They must be racist against motorcyclists too.....lol
Aug 3, 2009 at 7:13 p.m.
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vlygrl6780, the owner of Quotes is in the article. re-read it.
Aug 3, 2009 at 5:25 p.m.
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Gee, does that mean bikers are classified as trash then too and not allowed in because they are wearing bandanas? Oh wait, they are smart enough not to go there!
Aug 3, 2009 at 4:51 p.m.
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Almost everytime I have gone out in Janesville (not many), I have seen a fight or someone using drugs in the parking lot. That is not my idea of fun. I can't say the problems are coming from minorities either. It's usually white men trying to act all tough and start a fight with anyone who walks in the door.
Aug 3, 2009 at 4:34 p.m.
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anyone else notice the disclaimer on the bottom, what i find interesting, places like pizza hut , logli, mulligans , make most of their money from things other the alcohol. and are less likely to be checked randomly by the police in a walk through. so if they check the bars once a week or even every other week that would be 13 -26 contacts by their choice. what they need to do is track how many call s they recieved that are directly involved with the business.
Aug 3, 2009 at 4:34 p.m.
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There is nothing in my post that shows I cared what you did with the rest of your evening. Your odd statement sheds more bad light on the believability of your story:
If they let your friend in with a different shirt, then it was the shirt and not the color of his skin that was the problem. This fact shows that your comment that minorities aren't wanted there is just race baiting on your part.
The part about the white guy in the white shirt is not believable.
Aug 3, 2009 at 4:20 p.m.
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No, he just went and put on a friend's zip up sweatshirt and came back. I also noticed that it's "fishy" that you care so much about what we decided to do what to do with the rest of our evening then the issue at hand. Work it out!
Aug 3, 2009 at 4:11 p.m.
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lady..., according to your story: even though your black friend wasn't allowed in, you went in anyway and left him outside to hangout on the sidewalk or go home or go to another bar. Hmmmmm. Sounds fishy.
Aug 3, 2009 at 4:07 p.m.
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Blah, Blah, Blah.... you dont like the rules... dont go!!
Aug 3, 2009 at 4:06 p.m.
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This was before the scanning and the posted dress code so about a year ago.
Aug 3, 2009 at 3:37 p.m.
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I am not sure of her name I am sure she slurred it to me a time or two. When I first moved here I would stop in when we went out. But I noticed some of my friends where getting turned away because of this white t-shirt garbage. I know that some of you will say but it's the clothes not the color. Well one of the very last times I stopped in I walked in with my black friend and they so Oh No can't come on here no white shirts. Well the funny thing is we were meeting another friend(white) out he came in about 5 minutes later with what do ya know a plain white T-shirt. They gave him no problems. I then walked up to the bouncer and asked what was that all about he just shrugged and basically said I just do what I am told to do. These guys work at the same place and they came after work in uniform so it was pretty much the same shirt. But I guess that was just a coincidence or a mistake. Wake up Minorities they don't want you there. STOP GOING!!!!
Aug 3, 2009 at 1:57 p.m.
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Who owns Quotes?
Aug 3, 2009 at 1:53 p.m.
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It took me some time to actually decide to post anything on here because lets be honest who really cares, nothing most likely will change. I am from a much bigger town with a huge nightlife. I have been to all kinds of bars and clubs. What I see in downtown Janesville is a lot of ignorance and a lot of racism. But you know those who are being the ones that are being treated badly will go and change that white T-shirt and come back. So how can you complain. You wont catch me at Quotes and do you know why because that owner is as racist and uninformed as you can get. I wouldn't waste a cent on her. The more people ignore the disrespect and go there she can treat you whatever way she would like. So in my opinion stop giving her a booming business. She may be able to run her business as she pleases but let her run it into the ground. It's really funny how she says she is trying to keep out the trouble when her own shot guzzling daughter has been the source of trouble on more than one occasion at that bar. And another worth talk about in this acticle that I found ironic about this look at buffalo wild wings. I have eaten there or stopped in for a to go. I see that they have only been open for a few months and they have had police there a lot. But you know whats missing in there ummm I don't know Braids and white T-shirt. Think about that!
Aug 3, 2009 at 1:22 p.m.
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JPAC? Still upset about the Donny Osmond show? Not sure if that just isn't something to do with the apartments in the same building.
Aug 3, 2009 at 12:24 p.m.
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i heard a rumor several times this saturday that Corvinas got shut down. Anyone else confirm this? And if so, for what?
Aug 3, 2009 at 12:12 p.m.
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I'm so glad I've grown up... Anything else that I could add here is superfluous to the conversation.
Aug 3, 2009 at 11:16 a.m.
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SpongeBob: You wouldn't know SARCASM if it hit you in the face. Give me a break.
Aug 3, 2009 at 10:32 a.m.
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Did you know that I got pulled over, got a ticket in my big loud truck with my front teeth sticking out because I am white? J/K I am so sick of hearing how all of your problems are because of your race, but what can we expect when our wonderful President has the same opionion.
Aug 3, 2009 at 10:23 a.m.
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Whine whine. Must be racism, everybody know the poor downtrodden (fill in your color) folk can do no wrong.
Oversize white tee-shirts have been standard wear in Chicago for years, mandated for youngsters in gang-dominated neighborhoods to make it harder for a witness to identify one particular kid out of a crowd of a hundred wearing them. If the poor, discriminated against Mexican had actually lived in Chicago, not Schaumburg, and was being honest, he'd admit this.
Braids and beads. If the bouncer has to worry about the color of the beads, and the way they're arranged, it's easier to just ban them, period.
Pretty simple stuff. You might not like to admit it out here in Janesville, but you do have a goodly bit of gang activity going on. It's easy to deny it and fall back on the claims of racism, but if you grow up with it and know what you're looking for, it's pretty blatant.
Aug 3, 2009 at 10:03 a.m.
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I agree with spbc50. If these idiots didn't bring the dress code on themselves by acting like little gangster wanna be's, then there would be no dress code. And if you don't like the dress code, simply DON'T GO TO THAT BAR!! But, no, it's much easier to sit back and cry like little babies and play the race card.
Aug 3, 2009 at 10:01 a.m.
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There's bars in town who's names you don't see listed on here and never will. Why? Because they know how to control and moderate their cliental and crowd. Those are places people want to go and relax and enjoy themselves. They don't want to deal with the meat heads and losers who's idea of a good time is to see who they can try and beat up.
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It's pretty simple, shut them down or move them out in the middle of nowhere where they can all enjoy their idea of fun away from everyone else.
Aug 3, 2009 at 9:34 a.m.
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Hip hop and rap breed trouble cry racial profiling all you want. The reason there is profiling is who is causing the problem? If you weren't you wouldn't be profiled!
Aug 3, 2009 at 9:15 a.m.
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Brilliant idea SarahB1. Then maybe restaurants can stop serving food and gas stations can stop serving gas. It's a freaking bar SarahB1. Until your favorite smoothie hangout is overrun by gangs then just keep your comments to yourself.
Aug 3, 2009 at 9:15 a.m.
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Don't you think if you have this many issues in your establishment it's time to shut it down?? You don't see the Time Out with a dress code!!
Aug 3, 2009 at 7:44 a.m.
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The headline should read "Quoted and Corvinas serve testosterone filled, I just had my first beer, adolescent morons."
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Close both the dumps down. They are nothing but trouble.
Aug 3, 2009 at 7:43 a.m.
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This Janelle is using the race card and race baiting with her claim that it's a matter of "diversity." She shows she has no respect for minorities when she attempts to manipulate a situation that could cause racial problems.
In what way is Janesville lacking in diversity? We don't have our fair quota of thuggery?!
If the downtown area is ever truly going to come back to life, there should be a no tolerance stance for thuggery. The city of Janesville including the Janesville Police Department should not be wishy-washy about this.
Aug 3, 2009 at 7:28 a.m.
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sarahb1, while I agree with your first sentence, some stereotyping or profiling usually does have some basis to go on. It does not mean everyone fits that image, but how do you think police investigators solve crimes? In this instance, banning certain clothing hurts NO ONE! If you don't agree with a business' policies, you have the freedom to walk away and never go back.
And about the 15 and 4 year old kids with white t-shirts, are they trying to go to an establishment that serves alcohol? If not, then the rule does not apply and get real with your examples. If so, you have bigger problems.
Aug 3, 2009 at 6:24 a.m.
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The best way to clean up the bars is to quit serving beer, wine or other types of alcohol. These dress codes only add to stereotyping. Wonder if the security folks also shine a light on peoples necks to see if they are red, as in "redneck"?
Aug 3, 2009 at 3:47 a.m.
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My four year old wears his white tees too..everyone must be a drug dealer...
Aug 3, 2009 at 3:43 a.m.
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Gee, imagine that! Don't hear anything bout Hammy's or tremors but go figure! Slumbos would!
Aug 3, 2009 at 3:42 a.m.
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So my 15 year old is advertising he has drugs for sale because he wears white T-shirts? Whatever!
Aug 3, 2009 at 3:30 a.m.
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someoneme:
Obviousely, I know all about that. He is MY brother. I think I would know more about "all that" than what YOU heard. Besides, my brother's girlfriend has issues with her back and now she may have to have surgery from the bouncers hitting her. They seriousely hurt her. The bouncers had NO RIGHT following them outside the bar and beating them when they were already leaving. We are talking about four bouncers hitting one man AND a woman. Ridiculous.
SarahB, No my brother didn't, and he should have cuz he really should have had stitches in his forehead...
Aug 2, 2009 at 11:42 p.m.
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why would you even want to go to a bar where there is so many problems they want to even look in your purse.glad i dont do the bar scene.it apparently isnt to safe any way.
Aug 2, 2009 at 11:13 p.m.
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nurse4u: I hope he called the police right then and there.
Aug 2, 2009 at 11:05 p.m.
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About the ones that got beat up. There is a lot more to that. A long past history and personal family things involved also.
Aug 2, 2009 at 10:26 p.m.
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My brother got into an altercation with his girlfriend's ex (who happens to now be the boyfriend of the owner) at Corvina's last weekend. The bouncers threw him and his girlfriend outside, then the bouncers followed them OUTSIDE and beat them both, hitting my brother in the head with a beer bottle. I am not saying my brother was in the right, he was involved in an altercation. My question is when is it legal for multiple bouncers to hit a man and his girlfriend repeatedly, after they were thrown out of the bar?? I told my brother to pursue charges.
Aug 2, 2009 at 10:20 p.m.
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Yeah, and some restaurants won't let you in without a tie on! That's prejudice against those of us who don't wear ties. Geez! When will all this complaining about profiling stop. A business can make it's own rules, to try help the safety of other customers, as long as it is not harming someone. This harm's no one.It's way too easy to pull out the race card now days, which demeans the problems that are actually problems. Stupid, moronic drunks causing a problem at bars, wow! that is a new one!
Aug 2, 2009 at 9:13 p.m.
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that was funny Sarahb1! Had that coming!
Aug 2, 2009 at 8:44 p.m.
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leostime36: Cockfights is what I heard.
Aug 2, 2009 at 8:36 p.m.
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Buffalo Wild Wings has only been open a few months and the police have had that much contact? Many of the other places have been opened alot longer and less calls. I wonder why.
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