From assaults to drug use, neighbors push again for Denver liquor store to lose license over crime

DENVER — After nearly losing its liquor license two years ago, Avondale Liquors may have a harder time staying in business after more alleged liquor violations and high crime connected to the shop’s address. 

Denver’s Department of Excise and Licenses has set a hearing for Oct. 23. The owner of the liquor store will have to answer to more alleged liquor license violations and allegations from neighbors who claim the shop is still not doing enough to mitigate criminal elements from the street corner. 

The longtime liquor store location at 1365 Federal Boulevard was purchased by a new owner nearly five years ago and operates under Zaid LLC. 

“The whole neighborhood has been feeling quite unsafe. We’ve been seeing a big influx of homeless people and people abusing drugs and alcohol,” said Rodrigo Lozano, who has lived in the neighborhood just south of the liquor store for 15 years. 

Lozano and other neighbors told 9NEWS they blame the liquor store for allowing people to congregate in the parking lot who then walk over to their street to drink and do drugs. 

Lozano shared doorbell camera footage of people smoking on his front porch and prowling through his yard. 

“It’s pretty frustrating for homeowners around here because you want to live in peace and you see all these things happening,” Lozano said. 

9NEWS reviewed Denver City Council emails relating to Avondale Liquors and found a Department of Safety data analyst demonstrated the shop had far more police calls to its address compared to five other nearby liquor stores between July 2022 and July 2024. 

Last year, police calls connected to the store’s address rose to 236 compared to 160 in 2022, which is a call every two days out of three.

This year, as of September 4, the police call rate has increased to a call to the shop nearly every day. 

Denver City Councilmember Jaime Torres is once again supporting efforts to organize neighbors to share their experiences with the Department of Excise and Licenses at the upcoming hearing. Torres spoke out against the license renewal two years ago. 

“We have to take steps to make the area safe. If we have a business that is not a good operator, we have to be able to voice that,” Torres said to 9NEWS over the phone. 

9NEWS was able to speak to the owner of the liquor store late on Monday afternoon. The owner blamed nearby bus stops for bringing the crime to the neighborhood. 

“The problem area is too many bus stations, train stations. They have connections from a different place,” the owner said to us over the phone. 

According to documents from the Department of Excise and Licenses, an undercover and underage Denver police cadet was able to purchase alcohol from the shop in May of this year. During the visit, investigators noted there was no security officer at the shop, per the required conditions of its license. 

As part of its agreement with the city two years ago, Avondale Liquors agreed to provide security or a hire an off-duty officer at its location during certain time periods. 

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