ST. LOUIS (KMOX)--The owner of Jack Patrick's, at 10th and Olive, is hoping "things will change" with a new mayor in St. Louis.
"I just try to take care of the inside here," said Kevin Liese, owner of Jack Patrick's. "The outside is just something I have to deal with."
On Thursday, two front windows were smashed by thieves who managed to cause more damage than the value of what they stole. It was about a $2,000 fix, and the suspects got away with a case of Vodka and the candy dish from the bar. Police later caught the suspect on the Metrolink.
"You try to get ahead and then this happens," Liese said.
Then on Saturday, before the baseball game, there was a shooting reported at 10th and Olive--which is pretty much at the entrance to the bar.
"It's part of the business downtown," Liese said. "I'm used to it now."
Liese has owned Jack Patrick's for 26 years now and says he can't afford to see more businesses leave downtown like Bailey's Range did across the street.
"Schnucks is dealing with it down the street," Liese said. "I know they have a problem with pan-handling and I don't want they to leave. We need them here. The more the merrier. There aren't a lot of people down here right now, in my neck of the woods. I'm kind of on an island here."
Jack Patrick's stopped offering outdoor seating because of the problems it caused. The tables and chairs are for customers only, and those wandering the streets would use them. Sometimes he would have to call the police to avoid a fight.
"Every time I put tables and chairs out there, there's a problem, Liese said. "I come down in the morning, and they are covered in trash, everything's turned over. It's not worth it anymore."