Edward Grant Jr., owner of the historic Grant's Lounge in downtown Macon, is trying to set the record straight Monday about his business.
Five people were shot outside of the lounge after 2 a.m. Sunday. Jamel Ramon Nolton, 37, was arrested.
Mel Howard, who manages Grant's properties, told 13WMAZ Monday that Mr. Grant "does not want to be seen as a cancer to downtown development.
In July 2013, 17-year-old Jamonni Bland of Macon was shot to death at 3:30 a.m in the parking garage near the Zodiac night club at the Riverview Ballroom, which are also owned by Grant. During that incident, a man was shot inside the club and multiple others were shot outside.
Through a media relations company, Grant released the following statement Monday:
As most of you know, an incident occurred outside of Grant's this past weekend that rings clear in our downtown the need for changes in the way we operate our business. To that end, I'd like to share the following with you:
- Grant's will no longer allow the "eighteen to enter, twenty-one to drink" crowd at the upstairs Loft. We have always had a twenty-one or older policy to enter the downstairs area.
After meeting with our Sheriff's department this week, we hope to have a better police presence on Poplar St. this and every weekend going forward.
Grant's Lounge's new hours beginning this week will be 2:00 p.m. until 2:00 a.m.; happy hour until 8:00 p.m.
Grant's calls itself "the home of southern rock," and has hosted performers like The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Wet Willie, and Charlie Daniels.
In Sunday's shooting, Nolton was charge with five counts of aggravated assault.
The victims of the shooting are 22-year-old Nikeum Guyton, 26-year-old Marquise Carswell, 18-year-old Laterry Kendrick, 21-year-old Devan Williams, and 26-year-old Jascent James.
Carswell and Guyton were released from the hospital, and the other three are still in the hospital.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to call
the Bibb County Sheriff's Office at 478-751-7500 or call Macon Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.
