Advance bar, site of alleged abduction, surrenders liquor, business licenses

ADVANCE, Mo. -- The bar that was the scene of an alleged abduction has closed.

The Advance Board of Aldermen met in special session Monday to consider the fate of Charley Brown's Bar and Grill, on Highway 25 at the south edge of Advance. The meeting was originally scheduled as a hearing for testimony concerning the events of March 17, which led to the alleged rape of an Advance woman and a police chase.

The hearing became unnecessary when Mayor Pete Ritter read a letter from the owner of Charley Brown's, Lana Bohannan, who voluntarily surrendered both her liquor and business licenses to the city. Bohannan cited economic reasons for her decision.

Board members voted unanimously to accept the licenses. The business had been in operation three years.

In addition, board members voted unanimously to accept Ritter's suggestion to ban all new licenses to sell liquor by the drink within the city of Advance.

The ban does not include package liquor stores or restaurants and clubs that already have liquor licenses. Currently, Advance has two by-the-drink establishments within the city limits. Those businesses are grandfathered in.

Two residents present spoke out against the closing of Charley Brown's. Ruby Clayton and Freida Weishuhn said that the business served wonderful food and was a fun place to be.

"Why are you closing them down?" Clayton asked.

"Our police have been called out to break up fights over 50 times in three years," Ritter said. "People have had to go to the hospital because of injuries, and a young woman was raped. We're not going to have this in our town."

Unconvinced, Clayton said she was going to run for mayor and that Ritter would be voted out of office.

The mayor thanked her for coming to the meeting.

Pertinent address:

Advance, MO