Corbin Main Street Restaurant closes doors

The owner of The Corbin Lounge has now closed his doors.

The Main Street restaurant that began as Twist and Shout and later was known as The Corbin Lounge is no more.

Owner Don House confirmed Monday that the establishment at 408 South Main Street has been closed.

“I just got tired of it and closed it,” House said. “I’ve got too many other things going on.”

The restaurant opened in early 2016 and quickly earned a bad local reputation.

Central Baptist Church, which owns the neighboring parking lot, chained it off throughout the week.

Several complaints were filed with the Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.

According to paperwork obtained by The News Journal through an open records request, an ABC investigator and supervisor were conducting a walk through inspection of the premises during which they reported witnessing a patron, later identified as James S. Havens of Corbin, take a pistol from his pocket.

“When approached, the subject put the pistol back in his pocket,” investigators stated. “Laying on his table was the pistol magazine and a box of ammunition.”

The investigators took possession of pistol and escorted the Havens from the building.

“After a pat down the subject also had a “black jack” impact weapon concealed in his pocket,” the investigators stated.

Havens was turned over to Corbin Police were he was placed under arrest for two counts of carrying a concealed deadly weapon.

Investigators stated that when they spoke with Twist and Shout owner Don House about the incident, House replied that he normally locks his patrons’ firearms up in his safe until they are ready to leave.

The case was closed in June after Havens was shot and killed on the Right Fork of East Creek Road in Gray on June 18.

No one was ever charged in connection with Havens’ death.

Investigators also reported witnessing staff serving beer to another patron whom they described as “obviously intoxicated.”

When asked about it, the bartender, Beverly McAdams, admitted to serving the beer.

The patron, later identified as Robert Medlin, of Gray, was charged with public intoxication and lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

On September 2, Corbin ABC officials contacted state officials to report possible drug use, continuing to serve alcohol to intoxicated patrons, serving underage patrons, not operating like a restaurant, and creating an environment that may be dangerous to the public at Twist and Shout.

In response, state ABC officials went undercover to Twist and Shout on September 2 and September 3, but reported seeing no violations.

State ABC officials along with Corbin Police conducted surveillance on October 8 but again reported no violations.

House confirmed in November that he still owned the building, but had closed the restaurant for approximately a month while making changes to the business.

Officials with the Kentucky Department of Public Protection said a hearing on the violations scheduled for November 16 in Frankfort was cancelled as the parties are attempting to work out an agreement.

According to the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control website, the alcohol license for The Corbin Lounge will expire April 30.

Corbin ABC Administrator Clara Patterson said if a new business were to go into the building and the owner wanted to sell alcohol, the owner would have to make a new application under the new business name.