Here is an article on the DeSarro family from East Liverpool, OH from a small publication known as "Ohio River Life."



Friday, December 19, 2008
The DeSarros respond

by M. Stewart
In light of the stir caused by a Tuesday Morning Journal article in which East Liverpool Councilman Ryan Stovall is quoted as saying that threats were made over renewal of a local club’s liquor license, I visited with Gina DeSarro Tatgenhorst on Thursday to get her family’s side of the story.

Let me say at the outset that I take no sides in this controversy, but when Gina told me that the local newspapers have been reluctant to present her family’s point of view, I thought it would be interesting to offer ORL readers a chance to see it. Please note that although I have had some fun with this issue in the past, I’m playing it straight in this piece.

First of all, let’s address the alleged name of the Pennsylvania Avenue club in question—Liquor Dick’s. The working assumption is that the DeSarro family gave the club a suggestively lewd name to retaliate against the city for shutting down the University Club, which Gina DeSarro operated for 10 years before it was closed in 2006 as a “nuisance” bar.

Liquor Dick’s has been interpreted as a way of saying “lick our dicks” to city hall. A compelling idea to be sure, but Gina claims the name has nothing to do with that. In fact, Liquor Dick’s is not the name of the club. It appears on no sign and is not recorded as the name of the club on the liquor license, invoices, or any other documents. It is, she admits, what people called the Italian American War Veterans (ITAM) Post 25, and that her son, Dick Bissell, who operated the club, is largely responsible for it.

“It was a name he thought was cool, like Whiskey Dick’s,” Gina said. “His name is Dick and we sold liquor there, so it became known as Liquor Dick’s. What can I say? He’s a 22-year-old, and it probably was a mistake to call it that, but what 22-year-old hasn’t made a mistake? . . . [So] the name really is not what it seems. We are sorry. We didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just something it was tagged.”

As for the alleged threats, Gina said that her father, Jack DeSarro, did call Councilman Brian Kerr, but made no threats to him. According to Gina, Jack complained to Brian about the Liquor Dick’s issue being dragged through the newspapers yet again, even though the club has been closed since October. She said her father did, however, express disdain for the city’s constant opposition to his family’s business interests, at one point saying, “As far as I’m concerned, the town can stick every business I own up its ass.”

Although Gina did not characterize the discussion as cordial, she vehemently disputed that any threats were made to Kerr or any member of city council. According to the Morning Journal, Councilman Stovall issued a “warning” in response to the alleged intimidation, saying, "This won't be tolerated. We will take back our town."

In response to Stovall, Gina said, “I don’t understand where that’s coming from. He’s going to take the town back. I didn’t know we were running the town.”

Gina said that when the ITAM club received a letter dated Oct. 17, 2008 from Italian American War Veterans national commander, George Le Porte, demanding that the club cease operations, the decision was made to shut it down with no intention to re-open. According to Gina, it was Councilman Kerr who made the inquiry to Le Porte that elicited the cease-and-desist letter.

Much of the controversy, she believes, came from the club’s unofficial name of Liquor Dick’s, but Gina insists that it was a legitimate ITAM club. “Everybody signed the member book; everybody paid dues; and everybody had a card,” she said. “I didn’t understand it, but when I got the letter I shut it down. It has been closed since before Halloween.”

She said the liquor license itself remains in good standing. “We’ve paid the fee every year. We haven’t received any letter from the liquor control board. They have no issue with the license. [Le Porte] told us that Councilman Kerr said that ITAM 25 was being run as a night club. When we asked for proof of trouble, [the commander] didn’t have any. We were charged with serving a non-member in ’07. [Police Chief Mike] McVay stated it was underage drinking, but there was never any charge for underage drinking.”

Gina said the liquor license was issued in 1980 and was fully sanctioned by ITAM, who sent documents to the liquor control board indicating who was to receive the license. There was no forgery involved, she said. According to Tuesday’s Morning Journal story, the city intends to challenge the renewal of the license with the state commerce department.

Gina admitted that there has been some problems at the ITAM club—particularly a July 4 shooting involving a local resident and a Columbus man. She also recognized that there had been unwanted trouble at the downtown University Club. The night of the infamous “riot,” she said the club was filled to capacity, and most of the patrons were out-of-towners from Pittsburgh and Youngstown.

As much as she attempted to control the U-Club, she admits that in the end “it got away from [her],” largely because of its popularity with big-city patrons. Gina also said that some of those people no doubt were involved with drugs, but that happens in bars everywhere. “We never said we were running a church,” she said. “No matter how hard you try, bar owners can’t always control that.”

As for her family’s strained relationship with city police, Gina said, “We don’t have a problem with the police department. We understand what they have to do here. I regret that every cop thinks I have a problem with them. The truth is I respect them.”

Gina has decided to retire rather than continue to do battle with the city. “We don’t want to fight anymore,” she said. “We’re tired. I am enjoying my grandkids.” Still, she is not happy about how her family has been portrayed, especially in the media.

“I’m not here to try to sway anyone’s opinion,” she said, “but we are a good family. I don’t care what they say, my father is a good father and husband. He’s been a great provider for his family, and there is nothing that would make me not proud of him.”