Ather Butris, owner of Athens Liquor in Greektown, has expressed frustrations over recently installed fencing that has negatively impacted his business’s profits. The barriers, intended to create a secure area for the Greektown Neighborhood Partnership’s summer events, prevent foot traffic from easily accessing his liquor store, forcing customers to navigate around the fences.
Butris has raised concerns, pointing out that while his business is restricted, the partnership has allowed for their own bar setup in the vicinity, implying a double standard. His attorney, Brandon Kastaw, criticized the way the fencing has been implemented, stating that the permits lacked justification for excluding Athens Liquor from the secure area.
Despite the claims from the Detroit Police Department that there is still full access to Butris’s store, the barriers have deterred customer traffic. Butris has since filed a lawsuit against the Greektown Neighborhood Partnership. In response, the partnership stated that the fencing is part of wider efforts to ensure safety and maintain accessibility during high-traffic events, and that these measures are not aimed specifically at any one business.
