Pov's 65 gets one more chance to cut police calls

The party at Pov's 65 spun out of control in 2012 with a record number of police calls, motorcycle club meetings and raucous ladies'-night promotions.

Spring Lake Park police responded to 72 calls at the bar and nightclub just off Hwy 65. Patrons were arrested for assault, property damage and disorderly conduct, said Police Chief Doug Ebeltoft.

Now the owner of Pov's 65 has one more shot at redemption, but he's on a short leash in 2013, city officials say. The Spring Lake Park City Council renewed the liquor license for Pov's 65 despite concerns raised by the police chief.

"They had three times the number of calls [in 2012 as in 2011]. That's what brought it to our radar screen," said Dan Buchholtz, Spring Lake Park assistant city administrator. "The council sent a clear message they are watching and they would be making sure that the owners of Pov's on 65 follow through with their promise that they will get the police call volume down."

It isn't just the number of calls, Ebeltoft said. The bar's owner, Richard Povlitzki, admitted accepting cash to host motorcycle club meetings, the chief said. The city shut down a wet T-shirt contest connected with one of those meetings because it violated city code, Ebeltoft said.

"They were getting a much different clientele, and calls for service were rising rapidly," Ebeltoft said.

But it was "Pov-A-Palooza" that really touched a nerve with city officials in this sleepy northern suburb. The bar held the event in conjunction with the city's annual Tower Days celebration last summer. Ebeltoft said it turned into a rally for local motorcycle clubs. Memorabilia for the Hells Angels and the Road Reapers Motorcycle Club were sold at the event, according to a memo written by the chief and submitted to the council.

"It ended up appearing to be a city-sanctioned motorcycle club event, which is not what the city has any intention of being affiliated with," Ebeltoft said.

Povlitzki, the owner, declined to comment for this article while working on a recent Thursday evening.

The bar, originally owned by his parents, is large with a retro dance-hall-and-supper-club feel. There are pool tables, dart boards, a dining area and a dance floor. On this evening, the crowd was low-key and there was country music on the jukebox.

The police chief said over the years the bar has drawn an eclectic mix of patrons. It's just in the past year that things have changed.

Povlitzki told the City Council that he'd turned over daily operations to his brother, Brad Povlitzki, during part of 2012 while he cared for his dying mother. Brad Povlitzki, who'd owned Pov's Sports Bar & Grill in Andover until it closed in 2011, introduced ladies'-night promotions on Thursday nights, which resulted in the increased police calls, Richard Povlitzki told the council.

Richard Povlitzki also told the council he's beefed up security, instituted a dress code and would scale back ladies'-night promotions as needed. And he agreed to pay $47,000 in back taxes. That bill has been paid, according to the city.

According to Pov's website, the bar still hosts the "Snow Bunny Honey Bikini Contest" on Thursday nights and "Buck Wild Wednesdays," offering women's drink specials.

As of last week, Ebeltoft said there had been only one police call so far in 2013. He's hopeful for a turnaround.

"I've always had a good working relationship with the owner's family," Ebeltoft said. "They've been a staple in our community for 20 years. We want to keep our businesses. We want to work with them. We don't want to be at odds with them."

Pov's in Andover closed at the end of 2011 when the city of Andover declined to renew the liquor license because of more than $100,000 in unpaid taxes, said Andover City Administrator Jim Dickinson. Brad Povlitzki, the bar's owner, could not be reached for comment.

Dickinson said the frequent police calls to Povs in Andover didn't "bode well on the community."

Shannon Prather • 612-673-4804