Chandler Council approves sports bar / restaurant permits

By Jason W. Brooks
Mail | X: @JasonWBrooks2

One of dozens of items approved Nov. 7 by Chandler City Council was a use permit application in which the toughest public battle wasn’t fought in front of council.

Snkerheadz’ use permit approval for a series 6 bar liquor license and for an entertainment use permit were approved Nov. 7 when council approved its regular meeting consent agenda.

While there wasn’t a council hearing or public input on the sports bar and restaurant’s permit applications, the Chandler Planning and Zoning Commission devoted most of its Oct. 16 meeting to such a hearing.

The commission’s 5-1 recommendation of approval was likely a main reason council OKed the permits without a discussion.

One of the owners of Snkerheadz (pronounced Sneakerheads), Jermaine Prince, was at the Nov. 7 Council meeting in case he was called upon to speak. No one on council asked for the consent item to be pulled for discussion, though it was a featured item of the Oct. 16 planning and zoning meeting.

Prince told the Chandler Independent most of the commission’s added stipulations, which grew mainly out of neighboring businesses’ concerns, for the bar and restaurant were not difficult or complex to follow. He said the added smoking restrictions will require a bit of creativity, but he and staff can and will follow all stipulations.

Snkrheadz is an sports-themed bar that opened recently with permits pending. The commission grilled Prince on various aspects of the enterprise, ranging from his background as a self-described “silent partner” at The Social House bar in Mesa when violence occurred there to trash, smoke and potential noise at Snkrheadz.

The nearly hour-long staff presentation and hearing before the commission, which staff descriptions of the application process, Prince’s descriptions of his attempts to appease neighboring businesses and testimony from neighboring business owners and questions from Chair Rick Heumann and other commissioners were part of that hour.

The restaurant and bar is in Pollack Plaza. That’s the shopping center on the northwest corner of Elliott Road and Arizona Avenue, in the former Rosa’s Mexican Grill space.

Prince said as an athlete himself, the bar is meant for athletes and to host live entertainers, such as comedy and music performers.

Nearby business neighbors include Kids R’ Our Future Childcare/Daycare and SantaFe Hair Company. The owner of the Kids R’ Our Future — a business that’s been on-site for 18 years — spoke and took Commission questions extensively, discussing ways some concerns involving Snkrheadz could be mitigated.

Commissioner Charlotte Golla was the lone “no” vote in recommending approval of the permits.

We invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org. Email Jason W. Brooks at jbrooks@iniusa.org.

INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA

Jason W. Brooks
News Editor | Chandler Independent

Jason W. Brooks joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in July 2021 as an associate editor. After a year covering Buckeye, he has covered Chandler since the fall of 2022, in addition to assisting the Daily Independent throughout his time at INI.

Education: University of New Mexico, bachelor of arts in journalism and mass communication, print emphasis, English minor.

Random Fact: He and his siblings witnessed a Space Shuttle launch and landing in the same year in person, on opposite coasts.

Hobbies: Karaoke, bicycling and American Sign Language.

Community: He supports animal shelters.