The list of concerns surrounding the former Brandy’s Liquor Shoppe is extensive.
In 2011, before the store was closed under a judge's order, there was a shootout in broad daylight. Drug dealers used to work openly outside the store. Neighbors complained of fights, shootings and threats from the store's owners.
There was an undercover raid by the Michigan State Police and Ypsilanti Police Department in 2010, in which Brian Hanna, owner Sam Hanna’s son, was arrested on charges of receiving and selling stolen goods, including liquor, to undercover investigators on five occasions.
Brandy's Liquor Shoppe
Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com
The owners contended that the criminal activity in the area was unrelated to their store and was the result of poor policing.
The store has been closed since August 2011. But now, with the store showing signs of reopening, residents of the neighborhood are wary.
“Our community has been peaceful without Brandy’s,” said Tyrone Bridges, who has helped assemble a petition against the store's reopening. “We don’t need to have these problems. There’s not a necessity to have another liquor store that’s also a crack haven. No, no, no. We don’t need that.”
Neighbors and city officials say the Hanna family has been working on the building, and neighbors reported that the store was recently open for several days, though it isn’t known whether or not alcohol was sold.
On Aug. 6, 2012, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission ordered the two liquor licenses owned by Hanna Brothers Worldwide be placed in escrow until they were transferred to someone who is not related to or associated with the family.
The Hannas can operate the store, but they cannot sell liquor.
According to a memo from Ypsilanti City Attorney John Barr, the Hanna family wants to retain ownership of the building but rent it to Frank Oraha, an Eastpointe Happy’s Pizza owner, who is trying to purchase the liquor licenses.
The Ypsilanti Police and Barr’s office have investigated whether or not Oraha has any ties to the Hanna family. So far, they have only found that the two parties share the same attorney, Charles Frangie.
Barr said there are few attorneys that specialize in dealing with the LCC, so he isn’t surprised that the Hannas and Oraha share an attorney.
Oraha did not respond to requests for an interview with AnnArbor.com and Frangie declined to speak on his behalf.
A Michigan Liquor Control Commission representative said the LCC Board of Commissioners will make a ruling on the transfer of the licenses at an upcoming meeting, though she could not provide a date.
Neighbors and city officials sent the LCC about 40 letters asking that the liquor licenses be revoked.
Barr said the city doesn’t want to discourage businesses from opening.
“We are pro-business, we want businesses to come to our city and we want them to be successful. But we also want them to be proper, legal and not be a nuisance in the neighborhood,” he said.
“We will be keeping a close eye on it. I’m sure if there are problems, the neighbors will let us know.”
Amanda Edmonds, director of Growing Hope, which borders Brandy’s property to the west, said she is willing to give the new owner a chance to work with the neighborhood and be a responsible business owner.
“The fear is that there’s going to be involvement with the same people and same problems as before,” she said. “From day one there is going to be no tolerance for that, but we should be fine if someone is willing to run a reputable business.”
City Council member Ricky Jefferson said he is waiting to see what happens with the LCC ruling on the liquor license transfer.
“I would rather see someone who will open the store and run it without all the nuisance going on,” he said. “The city has done what we can as far as taking it to court and making sure the people who owned it before have to have their license transferred. We have to wait and see. The city is doing their due diligence as far as making sure the new owner has a good application.”
Andy Claydon lives directly across Summit Street from the party store. He was one of the few neighborhood residents willing to speak on the record about the store.
“Since Brandy's has been shut down, the street has been quiet, and we've experienced no shootings or drug dealings. It's pretty harsh knowing it might go back to what it was,” he said.
Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Contact the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.