SCRANTON, Pa. — Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian J. Gallagher has filed a civil complaint and emergency motion asking the Court of Common Pleas to close Solstice Bar & Grill, located at 117 West Market Street in Scranton.
The emergency motion asks the court to order Solstice to cease operations while the case proceeds and a hearing is held. The complaint also asks the court to declare the premises a public nuisance and, after the required findings, bar the establishment from operating.
“North Scranton is a proud, hardworking neighborhood. The residents and businesses that serve that community deserve respect. A bar cannot repeatedly bring violence and disorder into the neighborhood, disrupt nearby businesses and residents, and act as though it can do whatever it wants. Frankly, we’ve all had enough, and I will not tolerate it.” — District Attorney Brian Gallagher.
The complaint describes a riot-like scene on October 3, 2026, when a large crowd poured out of Solstice Bar & Grill, fights broke out, and West Market Street was blocked. The disturbance required a countywide mutual-aid response, pulling officers from Scranton, Pennsylvania State Police, and surrounding departments. The filing also points to a shooting last year around the same time, when gunshots were fired in the middle of East Market Street—underscoring the serious and recurring danger these incidents pose to the neighborhood.
The filing also cites Scranton Police incident reports involving fights, firearms and other weapons, shootings, assaults, drug-related activity, disorderly conduct, and alleged ordinance violations. It alleges that Pennsylvania Liquor Control Enforcement cited the establishment for at least seven violations spanning approximately 18 dates, including noise, after-hours operations, failure to require patrons to leave, and alcohol sales while the license was expired.
The complaint names Solstic3 LLC, doing business as Solstice Bar & Grill, along with the bar’s manager and entities alleged to own the property and equipment. It also cites the manager’s September 14 guilty pleas to two third-degree felony offenses in a separate Luzerne County case, arguing that the pleas bear on his fitness to manage a licensed establishment. Sentencing in that case is scheduled for November 23, 2026.
The civil action was brought under Section 611 of the Pennsylvania Liquor Code and Pennsylvania common law governing public nuisances. The District Attorney’s Office contends that court intervention is necessary to address the continuing impact on public safety and neighborhood peace.
The case will proceed in the Court of Common Pleas of Lackawanna County.