INKSTER, Mich. Earlier this month, Inkster police searched the 25 Hour Party Store at 26017 Michigan Ave. over alleged sales of nitrous oxide canisters, known as "whippets." TV coverage described the store as shut down. Since then, posts on Facebook have described the store as "open again."

Inkster Now! could not confirm when, or whether, the store reopened, or who allowed it. Here is what is documented, what isn't, and which records would answer the question.

The short version

What is confirmed: Police executed a search warrant at the store and, according to WXYZ, recovered hundreds of whippets and cutting agents used for illegal drugs.

What police allege: A young man bought a $30 whippet there and needed medical attention after inhaling it. Police said the store and the buyer face a misdemeanor. No court has ruled.

What is not confirmed: Whether the store reopened, when, and with whose approval. We found no reopening order or new liquor license decision.

What happened this month

Inkster police executed a search warrant at the store, which WXYZ called the 25 Hour Liquor store, WXYZ Detroit reported on Oct. 9. Investigators told the station they recovered hundreds of inhalant canisters along with cutting agents used for illegal drugs. The station reported the store was shut down.

Police Chief Tamika Jenkins told WXYZ that the raid followed an incident earlier that week. Police had information that a young man bought a whippet at the store for $30, reacted badly after inhaling it and needed medical attention, she said.

Chief Jenkins said the department wants to send a message to business owners: if something is illegal to sell, don't sell it in Inkster. Police said both the business and the buyer face a misdemeanor offense. These are allegations. We found no record of a court ruling.

Is it open again?

Posts in a public Facebook community group describe the store as "open again." We could not reliably confirm when those posts were written, so they don't show that the store reopened after this month's raid.

We also did not find any public reopening order, inspection clearance or updated liquor license decision.

How could a store reopen after a raid?

A police search, seizure or short-term closure does not, by itself, mean a business lost its license or is under a lasting closure order.

Liquor violations go through the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC), which holds hearings and can fine, suspend or revoke a license. And under MLCC rules, a store whose liquor license is suspended does not have to close. It just cannot sell alcohol during the suspension.

That is one possible explanation, not a finding. We found no record showing whether the city ordered a continuing closure, whether the MLCC took any action, or whether the store is selling alcohol now.

It has happened before

This is not the first time authorities have shut down this address.

On Feb. 27, 2017, Inkster police, Michigan State Police and city officials shut down the Michigan Motel and the 25 Hour Party Store, which share the property, citing code violations, drug use and prostitution, FOX 2 Detroit reported. A State Police lieutenant told FOX 2 that officers found cutting agents and pill presses inside the party store. The motel was padlocked after inspectors found numerous building code and safety violations.

According to a March 21, 2018 federal court opinion, the party store was also briefly shut down that day because officials believed it lacked a city certificate of compliance. A records search showed the store did have a valid certificate, and it was allowed to reopen. The motel stayed closed.

The operating company and the property owner later sued the city. U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson dismissed their claims, and also dismissed the city's counterclaim seeking to have the property declared a nuisance. The opinion identifies C&K Ventures, Inc. as the operator of the store and 26017 Michigan, LLC as the property owner. We have not confirmed who owns or operates the store today.

The records that would settle it

Inkster Now! is seeking these records:

  • Police reports and any closure order. Was this month's "shutdown" a temporary step during the search, or an order to stop operating?
  • Reopening or inspection records. Did a court, the police department or a city office approve a reopening in writing?
  • The store's current liquor license. Who holds it in 2026? Has the MLCC opened a complaint or taken any action since the raid?
  • Court filings. Have charges been filed against the business or anyone else, and where do they stand?

You can request them too. Anyone can ask the City of Inkster for public records through its FOIA request form. The city lists FOIA@cityofinkstermi.gov and 313-563-9770 for questions. Liquor license records are searchable through the MLCC.

We will update this story when the records come back. If you know more, or own or work at the store and want to respond, email hello@inksternow.com or send us a tip.

Sources: WXYZ Detroit (Oct. 9, 2026); FOX 2 Detroit (Feb. 27, 2017); 26017 Michigan, LLC v. City of Inkster, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, No. 17-11860 (March 21, 2018); Michigan Liquor Control Commission.