HOUSTON, Texas — An Ojos Locos Sports Cantina is setting up shop in East Aldine and people living there are concerned the bar could bring in problems.
That's why a couple of dozen people showed up Friday night to protest and speak out against the new restaurant along the Eastex Freeway, saying it’s not at all what their community is about.
“We hope they will go away. We don’t want them here," neighbor Marina Flores Sugg said.
“It says 'bienvenidos muchachos' which means welcome men. They’re not targeting women and families, they’re looking to bring men out here," President of East Aldine Civic Association Ruben Salazar said.
In recent years, KHOU 11 News reported on two shootings in or around Ojos Locos Cantinas. One in 2020, police said an armed security guard shot two men at the location on the North Freeway. One of the victims died.
About a year later, a man was found shot in the parking lot at an Ojos Locos Cantina on Southwest Freeway.
“East Aldine is no stranger to crime, we have our issues with crime. Our plea is that we don’t need anymore," Salazar said.
Residents are protesting the bar's opening with a petition, and they’ve asked state lawmakers to help.
State Representative Armando Walle says his office submitted a protest to TABC, asking them to deny the restaurant an alcohol permit.
“For us, we are vehemently opposed to this operating and coming into our community," Rep. Walle said.
“Our request is that they deny it based on the grounds that it’s going to affect our overall quality of life," Salazar said.
KHOU 11 News is still waiting to hear back from Ojos Locos Sports Cantina for a response to these residents' concerns.
TABC released the following statement:
"TABC has received the protests in regards to the pending application for Ojos Locos, and the matter remains under review by the agency. As this is a pending investigation, I’m unable to comment further until the issue is resolved.
Once the investigation is complete, TABC will take further action as required by state law. This could include allowing the application to proceed and issuing the permit, or denying the application on the grounds raised by the protestors. Until the protest investigation is completed, the application cannot move forward."