Yassine Clubs Seized by State

If anyone was wondering who was going to move first on the Yassine family's unpaid taxes, it seems the IRS has to wait in line. The Texas Comptroller's office has changed the locks on six of their eight downtown bars and will extract an estimated $2 million in unpaid state taxes. Small potatoes against coke and money laundering charges, but still bad news.

The six bars around Sixth Street and the Warehouse District, all owned and operated by Yassine Enterprises, have been placed under what is known as full seizure. The comptroller has changed the locks and will be selling off liquor and other assets to cover unpaid sales and mixed drink taxes. Once that is completed (a process that comptroller's office spokesman R.J. DeSilva said should take two to three weeks) the properties will be returned to the landlords.

As previously reported, the Yassines and several of their associates are currently being prosecuted in Federal court for drug distribution and money laundering, and the IRS is looking very carefully through their accounts. Additionally, Austin Police Department has named Mike Yassine as a person of interest in the 2000 disappearance of his business partner Paresh Patel.

Here's the venues affected:

– Kiss & Fly
– Fuel
– Malaia World Lounge
– Treasure Island
– Roial
– Pure Ultra Lounge

That leaves Hyde and Spill on Sixth closed but untouched, but the comptroller's office said that there are still ongoing investigations into the businesses. Late last week, one of the Yassines' other business, Stack Burger Bar, had a sign up saying it was closed for renovations.

UPDATE 2:05pm: Looks like the Yassines' future will not involve Spill. Chad Womack of bar firm Carmack Concepts confirmed that he and his brothers, Wes and The Bachelor star Brad Womack, and business partner Jason Carrier will be taking over the space at 212 East Sixth. Womack explained that property owner David Kahn had already evicted the Yassines and contacted his company about the space (Kahn already leases other bars on Sixth to Carmack, which runs the Chugging Monkey and Dizzy Rooster.) The plan is to re-open as Bourbon Girl, which Womack described as a high-concept venue designed to appeal to the growing number of convention attendees. The bar should open in September, and Womack said that former Spill employees will be front of the line for job interviews when he starts hiring.