What’s happening with J.O.B. Public House in downtown Springfield?

A downtown Springfield bar that has been closed for much of this month did not renew its liquor license.

J.O.B. Public House’s previous liquor license expired on June 30, and no application has been received to renew it, according to Mike O’Connell, communications director for the Missouri Department of Public Safety, whose Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control runs the licensing process.

Danny Schlink, majority owner of J.O.B. and the nearby burger joint Grad School, has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the News-Leader. Grad School is still open, but its liquor license also expired at the end of June.

“ATC sends out renewal notices to everyone with an existing license in March of each year,” O’Connell told the News-Leader Thursday. “Most simply complete the process and get their new licenses well in advance of the expiration of the previous license.”

While J.O.B. served food, liquor was a key part of its identity. The bar, which is located at 319 E. Walnut St., boasted 190 bourbons, according to a November 2014 News-Leader story.

No posts have been made on J.O.B.’s Facebook page, where a couple people in recent days have commented on the closure.

“What's happening, and when can I expect my favorite bar to be open again?” one person asked.

Earlier this month, a notice at the location said the bar was closed for renovations. Then, the bar reopened, although it’s unclear for how long. On July 11, a News-Leader reporter tweeted a photo of an open J.O.B. that shows multiple people sitting at the bar.

It appears the lack of a liquor license isn’t the bar’s only problem.

Online court records indicate five liens against a Daniel Schlink have been taken out by the Missouri Department of Revenue this year. A lien filed March 30 indicates $7,853.77 was due in connection with the September 2014 tax period; a release was filed on May 22. No releases are noted in cases involving the other liens: $1,800.28 filed May 1 for the October tax period; $1,972.38 filed May 22 for the November tax period; $7,855.81 filed June 26 for the December tax period; $7,857.35 filed July 17 for the January 2015 tax period. The address associated with Schlink in these cases is 435 S. Jefferson Ave.; Grad School is located at 434 S. Jefferson Ave.

Liens are also recorded against a Daniel Lucas Schlink; the address associated with this name is different. Releases have been filed in one lien filed in each 2012 and 2013, and two liens filed in 2014. No release is associated with a $1,467.04 lien filed July 17 for the January 2015 tax period.

It’s unclear whether the liens would have played a role in the decision not to apply for a renewal of J.O.B.’s liquor license. Applications for a license have to include a “Statement of No Sales Tax Due” from the Missouri Department of Revenue dated within 90 days, according to a Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Safety checklist of requirements.

The Springfield Business Journal reported in December 2014 that J.O.B. brought in roughly $250,000 in revenue in 2013, while Grad School had sales of about $450,000. In addition to Schlink, the publication reported that Josh Nail and Shane Rice also have a minority stake in Five-Hit LLC, the entity that operates J.O.B.