The Valencia Club in Auburn, California was closed down for over a year. And technically, it still is, but that didn’t stop a Placer County native, 29-year-old Travis Kevie, from breaking in and operating the bar for four days. He served drinks as well as any respectable bartender, getting about 30 customers for each of the four days he managed to pull this off. But all the money he made just went toward more alcohol to keep the bar running.
And he might’ve gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for this article in the Auburn Journal. Because when Detective Jim Hudson read the feature, he both recognized Kevie and remembered that the Valencia Club no longer had a liquor license. Oops. But seriously, the fact that the guy was willing to submit to an interview that would undoubtedly get him caught just proves how wonderfully crazy and crazily wonderful a dude he is.
Unfortunately, he’s in jail now for burglary and selling liquor without a licence.
If you’re wondering how this is burglary and not just breaking and entering, that answer may just lie in the fact that Kevie entered “with intent to commit a crime,” even if that crime was just running an illegitimate business. Far worse crimes have been committed. After all, the guy was just trying to have some fun, as he told the Journal: “I have fun with life. I live it up and take it for what’s it’s worth.”
Reception was so positive to the club’s reopening that I honestly hope he ends up running the bar legitimately in the future. People seemed pleased to have it back, and Kevie’s clearly in it for enjoyment, not money.
(Via CBS)
Published: Jul 23, 2010 02:16 pm