The Trap, Sacramento’s oldest dive bar, has been in operation for over 160 years. It has faced storms, Prohibition, and many patrons over the decades. The bar is now involved in a legal dispute with the city regarding permits and occupancy rules that could affect its future operations.
Owner Mariah Lukenbill, who has operated the bar for the past three years, recently had her attorneys file a government claim against Sacramento, accusing the city of interfering with the permit process. The dispute centers around entertainment permits and occupancy regulations that Lukenbill says have created unnecessary obstacles for her small business.
“I feel like it was really unfair to come out here and do what they did without giving us any warning,” Lukenbill told reporters, as reported by KCRA. Her journey to business ownership represents a lifelong dream of entrepreneurship, though she admits the dive bar setting wasn’t what she initially envisioned. “I never pictured- I never imagined it would be a dive bar. But now, I can’t imagine it any other way.”
Court Intervention Provides Temporary Relief
The conflict escalated in July when Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Jennifer Rockwell halted an effort by city officials to limit occupancy at the historic bar, as per Yahoo. The temporary restraining order blocked a correction notice sent July 16 by Sacramento City Fire Marshal Jason Lee that would have limited occupancy for the entire property to 49 people, though it did allow The Trap to reopen its patio alongside Riverside Boulevard…