Daytona Beach hookah bars forced to close earlier because of crime concerns

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The City of Daytona Beach has set new rules for how late hookah bars can stay open.  Some argue it will help cut out crime, but business owners say they might have to close completely.

The businesses will have to close at midnight, or 2 a.m. if they get the right permit.

"If that passes, we have to close in a month," said Sunil Kumar, who owns Follow the Smoke in Daytona Beach.

"The hookah lounges have been a scapegoat for Seabreeze for quite some time," said Antwane Gandy, who owns Hookah Pub.

Business owners at Wednesday night's meeting said they hire security and don't serve alcohol, but it wasn't enough to sway the city commission after hearing from police that limiting the hours could drastically reduce crime.

"When there are large crowds that gather with a lot of people around, some with a lot of alcohol involved, we need to disperse those crowds quickly before they become something before they become violent," said Deputy Chief Jennifer Whittet from the Daytona Beach Police Dept.

In November, a 21-year-old was shot and killed after police say he left the Hookah Pub on Seabreeze Boulevard after an argument.

Some blame crowds that gather around the business in the early morning hours for creating problems, but the businesses say that's when they make their money.

"We have no business till 2 o’clock," Kumar said.