MEMPHIS, TN – Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons announced Thursday that a judge had declared a bar in northern Shelby County a public nuisance and ordered it permanently closed. The District Attorney’s Office had earlier in the month filed a public nuisance action against the owners and operators of Imbibrios Bar, located at 6353 Navy Road, just outside of the Millington city limits. The bar had been temporarily closed by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and the West Tennessee Drug Task Force.

In his order permanently closing the bar, Judge Larry Potter found that “prevalent drug use and drug sales occurred at Imbibrios.” The proper owner of the bar, Karen Abelsett, did not contest that the bar operated as a public nuisance.
“The citizens and legitimate business owners who live and work near this bar will be safer now that this haven for drug use and drug sales is closed for good,” said District Attorney Gibbons.

The order states that Abelsett or her representatives will be allowed access to the property, accompanied by agents of the Drug Task Force, to remove personal belongings. The order also states that other items that had been rented by the bar’s owner shall be removed from the bar by the proper owners. All remaining items may be seized and auctioned by the State of Tennessee.

Thorne Peters, who was listed as a respondent on the nuisance petition, had claimed some ownership or management interest in the bar. Officers arrested Peters at Imbibrios the evening the nuisance action was served. He has been charged with two counts of marijuana possession and remains in jail on $400,000 bond. Peters’ next court appearance is scheduled for August 4.