LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Las Vegas City Council has approved a temporary reopening for Cork and Thorn, a nightclub in the Arts District that was shut down following a fatal stabbing in a nearby city-run parking lot in September.
Dozens of supporters, including patrons, performers and employees, attended Wednesday’s City Council meeting to advocate for the club to reopen.
Stabbing led to closure
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said its communications team received a report just before 3 a.m. of a stabbing in a parking lot at a business in the 70 block of West Imperial Avenue, near Commerce Street. Arriving officers found a man lying in the parking lot suffering from a stab wound. Medical personnel transported him to a local hospital, where he later died.
Cork and Thorn, located across the street from the lot, was the business that was shut down following the incident.
Supporters speak out
William Taylor, a Las Vegas poet who performs as “360 the Poet,” told Fox5 he and his wife have been curating artist showcases with Cork and Thorn since 2016, following the business from Summerlin to its current location in the Arts District.
“I just curated an event, a sneaker ball there on September 6th. I had artists from Florida, from Louisiana, from Georgia, California, from all over the place that come just to perform at Cork and Thorn,” Taylor said.
“It allows artists to have a stage before their name is even known. And for a place like that, that has an established name for itself, for people to be able to get on that stage, you feel like you are at Showtime at the Apollo,” Taylor said.
Corey Lofton, a patron from Georgia, said the club stood out compared to other downtown bars.
“We visited a lot of bars in downtown, and none of them really matched our vibe. So when we found Cork and Thorn, it felt like we were at home. And it was the best mixed demographic, really good music, very welcoming,” Lofton said.
MORE ON FOX5: Friendly Halloween rivalry transforms east Las Vegas neighborhood
Owner responds
Owner Randi Garrett said the nearly month-long shutdown affected more than her business. She has been raising money through her other shops to help support staff, performers and food trucks that depend on Cork and Thorn.
“It makes me feel really good that I have a lot of love behind me… just bringing joy to people. That’s all I can say,” Garrett said.
Conditions for reopening
The City Council voted to allow Cork and Thorn to temporarily reopen under strict conditions, including reduced hours, an updated security plan, a ban on weapons, and a requirement that the club pay for at least four security personnel or off-duty Metro officers.
If the club violates those conditions, it could be shut down again. Garrett said the club already screens for weapons and has security measures in place but said she is willing to do more to continue operating.
“You know, we’re working with the city just to make the Las Vegas, you know, the Arts District a safer place for everybody. We want everybody from Summerlin, Henderson — we want them to feel safe here. So we’re working with [the city] to try to do whatever we can do. You know, we all have to work together… if we don’t work together, then we can’t make it a better place,” Garrett said.
The business’s temporary reopening is set to take effect following a meeting with Metro police.
A formal public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4 in the Arts District.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
