Former owner of troubled bar wants to open new Iowa City establishment

The owner of a troubled Iowa City bar that closed in August after a shooting wants to open a new establishment.

Police Chief Sam Hargadine, however, is recommending against granting a liquor license to Heather and Oscar German. Heather German operated Los Cocos, 1921 Keokuk St., which was the subject of more than 200 calls to police in its first year of operation.

The Germans new bar would be Sidelines Bar & Grill, 320 E. Burlington St., Hargadine wrote in a memo to the City Council released Thursday. Oscar German would be the owner and Heather the manager, he wrote.

The council is to consider the liquor license application at its meeting Tuesday.

Hargadine does not mention the problems at Los Cocos in the memo. Instead, he cites two unresolved court judgments as reasons to deny the application for violating the state's “good moral character” clause for liquor license holders.

As of Dec. 30, a small-claims judgment against the Germans involving Capitol One Bank remains unsatisfied, Hargadine reported. Also, Heather German owes $55 in court costs for animal violation charges that were eventually dismissed, Hargadine wrote. Both cases were filed in Washington County.

Hargadine and Heather German did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment.