Bob Eschrich, owner of the former Bonzai Bob’s restaurant on Front Street in the downtown Lake Orion, says officers from the Lake Orion Police Department are targeting his business and driving customers away.
Eschrich, who opened the restaurant first as Bonzai Bob’s in 2001, later changing to serving Mexican fare under the name Muy Loco, told Lake Orion Village Council members on March 27 that he is changing the restaurant yet again, to Whiskey’s Steakhouse.
Eschrich hopes the new restaurant will attract an ‘older clientele.?
He told the Council, during the public comments, that he has been harassed by the LOPD ‘going back years.?
‘I’ve been pulled over twice leaving my own establishment, and I don’t drink,? Eschrich said. ‘It’s gotten so bad, I wouldn’t even go to my own bar.?
He named one specific incident, when a 19-year-old woman with a ‘glass of pop? in front of her was pulled out of the bar and asked to take a breathalyzer test.
‘She blew a zero,? said Eschrich, adding that other customers had been pulled out of the bar. ‘Do you think they’re ever coming back??
Eschrich has been keeping documentation of the incidents, and said he has ‘kids? notebooks full of them.?
‘Customers don’t come back,? he said. ‘I feel I’m being intimidated, along with some other downtown businesses.?
Eschrich was also upset that Fire Marshall Bob Smith had come to his establishment to do an inspection with a police officer.
‘That gentleman is not allowed in my building,? he said.
Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel said the state no longer handles Village inspections, so Smith was allowed in his building.
‘The only time the state gets involved with fire inspections is with hospitals and places like that,? Eschrich argued, ‘Not bars.?
‘The state no longer does any of the inspections in the Village,? Van Tassel said. ‘So what was true at one time for your place, is not true now.
‘The state has no jurisdiction at this time,? she said. ?(Smith’s) job is to inspect all the buildings, commercial or used for public assembly.?
Van Tassel noted that police escorts were not always used for this practice.
?(Smith) asked for police protection before he went back,? she said. ‘The Village did not send him. He went on his own as fire inspector.?
Eschrich told the Council if he is harassed again, he will ‘use the same attorney who sued Keego Harbor.?
This statement prompted the council to take Village Attorney Gary Dovre’s advice, and request that LOPD Chief Jerry Narsh respond to Eschrich’s allegations in written form, and submit that report for presentation to the Council via Dovre.
Eschrich asked if he would be able to see what Narsh’s report said.
‘It would not be subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, it would be attorney-client privilege,? Dovre said.
The Council also requested Narsh advise them of the police department’s policy for checking IDs.
Narsh told The Review he could not comment at this time on the police department’s response.