By Mary O’KEEFE

The doors remained closed on St. Patrick’s Day at The Mix Bar in the 2600 block of Honolulu Avenue after the California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control suspended its license.

“The Board of Equalization had [requested] a hold be put on their license until an issue was resolved,” confirmed John Carr of ABC.

The agency may request a hold on a liquor license if the business is delinquent in its taxes. The board did not comment directly on The Mix case but sent an e-mail explaining their parameters of suspension due to taxes owed. The e-mail stated: “An alcohol beverage license may be suspended if a taxpayer is three or more months delinquent in the payment of taxes or penalties due under the Revenue and Taxation Code.”

The bar has had several complaints lodged against them by local neighbors and the police have responded to calls to the location on numerous occasions.

“The department [ABC] suspended the bar’s license before in December [2009],” Carr said.

The suspension was posted on Dec. 17, said Juliet Lec, ABC spokeswoman at the time of the suspension.

At the time investigators found two violations: The building’s doors were to remain closed during operating hours and they were to have a security guard posted in the parking lot.

The December suspension was for five days. How long before the present problem is resolved is unknown.

It appeared the establishment’s power had been shut off. When an attempt was made to call the bar the phone service had been disconnected.

  abc, montrose, the mix