According to Mitchell, this year\u2019s Senior Sendoff Night complied with BLCE regulations.<\/p>\n
Mitchell was \u201csurprised\u201d by the citation that was issued to the bar.<\/p>\n
\u201cKelly\u2019s is aware of the challenges it faces every day and dealing with college students,\u201d Mitchell said in interview with The Villanovan. \u201cNow, we are aware of the perceived issue of the White Out Night, but that\u2019s already been approved by the State Police.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitchell believes Kelly\u2019s is being targeted by township commissioners \u2014 specifically Commissioner V. Scott Zelov \u2014 and two or three community members.<\/p>\n
Zelov, who serves Lower Merion Township\u2019s Ward 10, has been on the Board of Commissioners since 2006 and was reelected in November to a sixth term.<\/p>\n
According to the current Lower Merion Ward map<\/a>, Kelly\u2019s is located within the boundaries of Commissioner Christine McGuire\u2019s Ward 6, which is directly adjacent to the boundary line of Zelov\u2019s Ward 10.<\/p>\n The Villanovan reached out to Zelov and McGuire for interviews, but they instead provided a joint written statement that Zelov sent by email.<\/p>\n \u201cKelly\u2019s is regulated by the PA Liquor Control Board and is thus required to follow their rules,\u201d Zelov and McGuire said in the statement. \u201cFor example, it is illegal in PA to serve minors, operate with excessive noise and to serve an unlimited amount of alcohol for a set price. Kelly\u2019s should know the rules and thus is responsible for following them. Kelly\u2019s future is in their hands.\u201d<\/p>\n In a follow-up email, Zelov wrote, \u201cTo be clear, [McGuire and I] and the Lower Merion Police are not targeting Kelly\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Mitchell, two or three community members are consistently calling local law enforcement about Kelly\u2019s, sometimes when the bar is closed.<\/p>\n Mitchell told The Villanovan that Kelly\u2019s management has taken many steps to operate under the laws of the Board of Liquor Control Enforcement and the Lower Merion Township code.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have invested heavily in getting the best staff, most checking id\u2019s [sic] are from a military background,\u201d Mitchell wrote in a statement he sent to The Villanovan. \u201cWe work tirelessly with the Lower Merion Police Department to collaborate to minimize issues with the community, LCB and state police. We have sound meters measuring the noise inside and outside so there is absolutely no way there would be any elongated period of time for excessive noise, other than a door opening, that would cause a noise violation.\u201d<\/p>\n In the statement, Mitchell also addressed the issue of fake IDs.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as underage drinking this is a nonstop constant battle. I can show you THOUSANDS of IDs confiscated for being fake. The investment in the [$]10,000 scanner we have was well worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n Mitchell purchased and installed \u201cdecibel readers\u201d in Kelly\u2019s two years ago to limit the possibility of violating township sound codes.<\/p>\n To combat the rise of fake ID usage, Mitchell says he has continuously invested thousands of dollars every year to limit the possibility of underage patrons entering Kelly\u2019s. He has also hired security with military backgrounds and will continue to do so.<\/p>\n \u201cGoing forward, what I am going to do is do the same things we always do,\u201d Mitchell said in the interview. \u201cWe\u2019re going to continue to invest in military people at the front door. We do not have students checking IDs. We do invest in the utmost and up-to-date security boxes, which are not cheap. Every year, it\u2019s a couple of thousand dollars to update those things.\u201d<\/p>\n At the beginning of the Villanova\u2019s 2025-26 academic year last August, Kelly\u2019s ownership, the Lower Merion Police Department (LMPD), and the Pennsylvania BLCE met, The Villanovan learned. The three sides reached an agreement called \u201cBe Good in the Hood.\u201d The agreement was created to limit disturbances within the community. If someone were to be cited by the LMPD for disorderly conduct or a similar violation, they would not be admitted to Kelly\u2019s from that point on.<\/p>\n \u201cIn cooperation with the Lower Merion Police Department, we are working to ensure that you are safe, respected and free from harassment in the neighborhoods and also that all of us are not creating disturbances within the community,\u201d Kelly\u2019s wrote in an Instagram post on Sept. 4<\/a> about the agreement. \u201cIf you are cited for disorderly conduct or a similar quality of life violation, we cannot support this behavior, and you will not be allowed admittance to Kelly\u2019s from that point going forward\u2026These include disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, open containers and vandalism\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Mitchell agreed to the \u201cBe Good in the Hood\u201d initiative in order to help keep the community safe and orderly.<\/p>\n According to Mitchell, BLCE has increased its presence in his establishment since the agreement was made.<\/p>\n \u201cSince that time [of the agreement], the PA [BLCE] has absolutely targeted us nonstop for the last 30 weeks of the year,\u201d Mitchell said in the interview. \u201cIt was absolutely ridiculous that they would say, \u2018Come in and help us,\u2019 and then turn around and target us.\u201d<\/p>\n The LMPD did not respond to multiple requests for comment.<\/p>\n Mitchell noted that Kelly\u2019s management and LMPD officers have worked and will continue to work together on a consistent basis to keep the surrounding community peaceful and problem-free.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have the utmost respect for the Lower Merion Police Department,\u201d Mitchell said in the interview. \u201cThey have been unbelievable in working with us to clean up any sort of problematic situations that would involve students or the community.\u201d<\/p>\n Mitchell said Kelly\u2019s is planning to operate as it has over the last 12 months.<\/p>\n This is a developing story, and The Villanovan will continue to provide updates.<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/kelly_graphic-600x511.png\")
Kelly\u2019s Taproom is located in Lower Merion\u2019s Ward 6 and is on the boundary line of Ward 10.<\/p>\n