The SLA is looking out for small businesses! (/end sarcasm)

From the NY Post:

The SLA on Wednesday adopted new rules that will require New York restaurants with a liquor license to add up all the fees a delivery company charges them each year to ensure the they don’t exceed 10 percent of the restaurant’s annual revenue.

If the fees exceed 10 percent of the restaurant’s annual revenues, the delivery company will need to be added to the restaurant’s liquor license.

The issue came to a head in 2019 when the regulatory agency held hearings on food delivery app fees that ranged from 15 percent to 30 percent of each order, raising questions about whether these companies are violating the SLA’s rules.

Many restaurateurs expected the agency to resolve the issue by capping fees at 10 percent of each order, akin to the exception made for landlords. Alternatively, the SLA might have ordered food delivery apps to adapt a flat fee for NY restaurants with a liquor license.

Neither the delivery companies or the restaurants are happy now.

Maspeth bar shut down for prostitution, drugs, gambling & counterfeit cigarettes

From NBC:

A Queens bar had its liquor license suspended after authorities allegedly uncovered prostitution, narcotics, illicit gambling and untaxed cigarettes.

The New York State Liquor Authority issued the emergency suspension of Huang Jia Inc in Maspeth Wednesday effective immediately, which prohibits alcohol to be sold or consumed on the premises.

According to the State Liquor Authority, SLA investigators and officers with the New York City Police Department’s Citywide Vice-Enforcement Division executed a search warrant of the bar on April 12. During the search warrant, investigators allegedly discovered 97 packs of counterfeit or untaxed cigarettes, jars and bags filled with the narcotic ketamine, records related to the sale of prostitution and illegal gambling devices.

The NYPD made nine arrests, including the bar’s owner, for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Additionally, a number of hazardous conditions were observed, including overcrowding, blocked exits and non-working emergency lighting, the State Liquor Authority says.

On April 14, the NYPD and SLA conducted a follow up inspection, making six arrests after allegedly discovering patrons with ketamine in three separate karaoke rooms inside the bar and finding patrons consuming alcohol after closing hours.

On April 16, the SLA charged the establishment with 22 violations of the ABC Law, including disorderly premises for permitting prostitution, gambling, trafficking of controlled substances, failure to supervise and for becoming a focal point for police attention.

Between March 15th and April 12th, the NYPD conducted three undercover operations where detectives posing as customers allegedly purchased narcotics, prostitution and gambling — all which formed the basis for the April 12 raid, officials say.

According to the NYPD, there was an alleged a pattern of criminal activity in and around the premises months prior to these incidents.

Ozone Park strip club loses liquor license

From the Queens Chronicle:

The liquor license for the TrapHouse Gentleman’s Club in Ozone Park, an establishment that has been the source of many complaints from neighboring residents, was revoked by the State Liquor Authority at the body’s Nov. 8 meeting.

“We’re at a stage where the chances have run out,” said SLA Chairman Vincent Bradley at the meeting. “[The owner] had multiple chances to clean up his act ... we now have people in jeopardy of getting hurt.”

The sustained charges against the club, located at 78-16 Atlantic Ave., include having unlicensed security guards, violation of unspecified local regulations, being a “focal point for police attention” and there being a “sustained pattern of noise/disorder” coming from the establishment.

Mark Weinstein, the attorney for the business, asked the SLA to levy a smaller penalty — such as a suspension of the liquor license, rather than it being revoked.
Bradley responded that a suspension, or any other form of punishment, might come with a hefty fine.

“I don’t think you want to write the check I’m going to ask you to write,” the SLA chairman said. “Every other charge that’s nonviolent in nature has been committed one time previously, and sometimes twice ... I have revoked people for way less than this.”

Can the Crapper call them or what?

Remember this silliness from 3 years ago? An arts center who is catering to the disabled but wants a liquor license...

lol when did trans pecos lose their liquor license/did they have it in the first place

— Billy Gomberg (@billygomberg) March 1, 2017

Ah, Billy, their liquor license has been rescinded. Word on the street is that they got into some big trouble and now owe SLA thousands of dollars. And one of the co-owners is in really hot water over what he did over at the Market Hotel. Surprise, surprise! I wonder when the follow up "news" articles will come out?

Some questions answered about Fresh Meadows mystery hotel

From the Times Ledger:

Since a permit was given to build a hotel at 186th Street and 64th Avenue in Fresh Meadows about three years ago, there has been no contact with the owners of the hotel.

Fresh Meadows Homeowners Civic Association President Jim Gallagher had been told that the hotel would be used by transient Chinese students. This sparse information did not satisfy the local civic associations.

They were concerned that the owners of the hotel would use it for homeless families as has been done in other areas of Queens.

A regular hotel is definitely not the place for homeless families and other challenged homeless people.

The Liquor License Committee meeting was held on Jan. 10 at the Community Board 8 office. We learned that the Mayflower International Hotel Group owned the hotel and it is a Wyndham franchise and wanted to legalize a liquor bar on the main floor.

Since this was a hearing only for a liquor license, the civic leaders had to carefully phrase their questions to obtain some of this information.

The manager of the Mayflower Hotel, Blossom Ho, answered all questions from the committee and at a quick gathering which the leaders of the Fresh Meadows Homeowners Civic Association, the Utopia Estates Civic Association, the West Cunningham Park Civic Association, and the Meadowlark Tenants Association had with her after the hearing ended.

Ho explained that the hotel planned to serve families of local college students, businessmen visiting companies, tourists and the guests of people who were having events like weddings at nearby places. She did not know anything about the information that we had been given years ago that the hotel would be used for transient Chinese students.

Developer decides against Ridgewood beer beach

From the Queens Chronicle:

La Playa NYC has been shut down before it could even open.

According to the developer of 176 Woodward Ave. in Ridgewood, there will be no popup beach and beer garden operated by the Rockaway Brewing Co. at the site as planned.

"We pulled the plug on the plan," said David Schwartz, a principal at Slate Property Group, in a Tuesday phone interview. "It just became too much."

Schwartz said the hope was to have the venue open by early June, but securing a certificate of occupancy and a liquor license — all while a number of area residents voiced their opposition to the plan — meant La Playa NYC could not open until August at the latest.

"I don't think we had the time to address the people's concerns, there wasn't enough time to handle anything," he said. "It wasn't enough time to make it worthwhile. You can't just be open for August."

Have you all heard of Slate Property Group before? Let's just say that right now they have bigger things to worry about than running a hipster beach.

Hipster beer beach shut down by DOB

It's really gotta suck to be one of these "urban pioneers" and find out the hard way that the shit you're peddling ain't going over with certain community minded folk. Let's take the Ridgewood beer beach. It got shut down by the DOB just before tomorrow's scheduled grand opening. Why? Well they are doing construction on a building without a permit.

The C of O for this property also does not allow a "beer beach" or whatever the hell this thing is supposed to be.

But you wanna know what's really amusing about this? They are trying to pass off their delayed opening as a concession to the community. From QNS:

Marcus Burnett, co-owner of Rockaway Brewing Company, which is hosting La Playa NYC, is working to address the community’s issues with the beer garden.

“We are trying to work with Community Board 5 and we understand that residents are raising concerns,” Burnett said. “One common misconception is that there is going to be live bands or live music. There will be no live bands and no DJ parties, that’s for sure.”

No live music or DJs? Then please explain this previous statement:

Throughout the summer La Playa NYC will also feature local talent including DJs, guest chefs, beer talks and special performances, ensuring a summer of beach, beer and fun for the whole community.

Here's the cherry on top of this shit sundae:

The opening of La Playa NYC depends on the results of the SLA hearing, which is scheduled to take place later this month.

So you were going to open without a liquor permit, but as a favor to the community, decided to wait until you actually had the SLA hearing? How wonderful of you.

Rumba to lose liquor license

From the Queens Chronicle:

Rego Park residents have cause to celebrate this week, as the State Liquor Authority has begun the process of canceling the Rumba nightclub's liquor license.

According to Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills), the attorney for the 67-63 Woodhaven Blvd. venue offered the cancellation of the license in an "attempt to avoid the stigma" of having it revoked by the agency and the legal ramifications that follow.

From Jan. 1 to Dec. 27 of 2015, 90 complaints were filed against Rumba, 50 for illegal parking alone, according to Deputy Inspector Judith Harrison, the commanding officer of the 112th Precinct.
On Dec. 18, a multiagency operation was conducted at the venue, resulting in 40 SLA violations, five Department of Health violations and two FDNY violations.

Knockdown Center gets limited liquor license

From the Queens Chronicle:

After nearly two years of taking body blows from the community, the Knockdown Center finally landed a counterpunch.

The State Liquor Authority approved a liquor license for the controversial arts and entertainment venue at 52-19 Flushing Ave. in Maspeth, but with multiple conditions and stipulations.

The maximum capacity of the Knockdown Center must be reduced from 3,100 to 1,800, and only 12 full-capacity events can be held over the course of a year, down from 18 originally proposed.

Venue owner David Sklar tried to persuade SLA commissioners Kevin Kim and Jeanique Greene to allow for a maximum capacity of 2,000 before being talked down to 1,800 by Greene.

Events with 1,000 or more attendees must only take place on Friday or Saturday nights and must be done by 2 a.m. All gatherings occurring between Sunday and Thursday must have fewer than 1,000 people and end by midnight.

Other stipulations include one security guard per every 75 guests and one additional 30-seat shuttle bus running constantly between the venue and the Jefferson Street L train station three-quarters of a mile away per every 500 attendees.

The list of over a dozen stipulations put forth in April by the Juniper Park Civic Association, Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together and Citizens for a Better Maspeth were also conditions added by the SLA.

The word on the street is that they (actually an unnamed associate) hired Al D'Amato's lobbying firm to help them get their license.

Parks gives permit to bizarre booze bazaar in Rockaway

I don't know if you go to the beach, but I do. It's the Riis Park section of the article. For some reason the parks dept. gave a multiyear deal to some collective called the Brooklyn Night Bazaar to organize an all summer long market and concert series in a location that does not have the room for it. The worst of it is that they are going to provide patrons with apps so they can have food from their "bazaar" brought to them via an app, which will probably include booze.

I commented before on your site about the city's plan to gentrify rockaway and here it is. Despite the millenials interest in Fort Tilden, on the east side dubbed "the people's beach" the majority of beachgoers are black and hispanic. This has the makings of a culture clash, and will probably lead aggressive supposed quality of life enforcement against the folks who will not have an interest in what the Brooklyn Night Bazaar has to offer, who prefer to bring their own food, drinks (Booze and Soft) and beach chairs.

Sorry to bother you about this, but you're good at this sort of thing. I also plan to write to Walk in the park about this too and do my own research since their website is unreadable. Something stinks about this group, similar to those slimy scumbags that run the knockdown center.

have a good weekend.- JQ

Brooklyn Night Bazaar gentrified themselves out of Greenpoint, so their next frontier to help destroy is Rockaway.

Queens Council on the Arts now lobbying for liquor licenses

From the Queens Ledger:

The Knockdown Center continued its years-long fight to secure a liquor license at the Community Board 5 meeting last Wednesday, during which affiliates, employees and the owner of the center all took to the microphone and handed out pamphlets advocating for the board to reconsider their vote last year to deny the license.

The move comes after the center’s recertification hearing last month with the State Liquor Authority, during which a vote on the license was postponed until the SLA’s June 2nd session. The SLA had previously denied the center’s initial application in May of 2014.

A handful of other community members attended the meeting to make the case for the center, however a board rule limiting the number of people who can advocate for a certain issue during a public forum to three precluded many from speaking.

In a letter she was unable to read aloud but passed on to this newspaper, Lynn Lobell, Grants and Resource Director for Queens Council on the Arts, said her organization was a strong supporter of the center.

“Local artists value Knockdown Center as an important arts resource,” the letter read. “QCA supports the Knockdown Center because they are committed to be a positive force in the community.”

Pardon me, but why in hell is the grants director for a tax exempt not-for-profit arts organization such as QCA lobbying a community board for a liquor license?

Kids booze it up all over

From NBC 4:

Underage drinkers can easily buy booze in New York City, according to the findings of an undercover investigation into liquor sales at grocery stores, pharmacies and other retail outlets.

Underage decoys were able to buy alcoholic beverages in more than half of the 911 stores sampled during the six-month probe last year, officials with the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said Sunday.

The outlets that sold alcohol to the decoys represent about 10 percent of all the stores with liquor licenses in the five boroughs.

Retailers charged with underage sales of alcohol face civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation, with fines starting at $2,500 for a first offense, according to the authority. Repeat offenders could lose their licenses.

The city health department intends to send letters to all stores in the city licensed to sell beer, wine or liquor requesting that they help reduce underage drinking by checking customer IDs.

Sunnyside deals with problem bar

From Sunnyside Post:

A bar/restaurant located on the corner of 48th Street and Barnett Avenue has come under fire by local residents.

Several residents have complained about noise coming from the 47-15 Barnett Avenue establishment, while others allege that it has been operating well past 4 am (after hours).

Community Board 2 Chair Pat O’Brien said the board has fielded more than six complaints regarding the establishment in recent months.

Furthermore, the operators of the bar/restaurant—called Baru–have failed to show up at several board meetings in recent months to discuss the renewal of their liquor license, according to board records.

Emilo Rubio opened Baru in 2012 as a Colombian restaurant.

CB5 reverses course on summer party palace

Back in September, I posted the item about CB5 rejecting the liquor license for the hipster party venue in Ridgewood. But now they changed their minds.

Let the 311 complaints begin.

Liquor license expedited for Council party

From the NY Post:

They pulled the strings so the bartenders could pull the taps.

The City Council booked its holiday party at a swanky new bar that still needed a liquor license — so they just called in a favor for a rush permit to get the beer flowing, sources told The Post.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito agreed to have Wednesday night’s party at Barleycorn Craft Bar & Grill, which is owned by the pal of top staffer Steve Feder.

But after the invitations had already gone out, the council learned that the Park Place watering hole was still awaiting a license from the State Liquor Authority, the sources said.

That’s when they turned to First Deputy Chief of Staff Ramon Martinez, who is known as “the fixer” for his ability to solve problems. Feder asked Martinez at a senior leadership meeting to pressure the SLA — and state officials gave the bar its license just hours before the party started.

An SLA spokesman denied doing any favors for the council and said it simply issued a permit that was applied for in April.

Queens hipsters continue to behave badly

Word has come in that a concert held on Veterans Day at the Knockdown Center resulted in a really long 8 hour line, no potties for the revelers, lots of public urination, trespassing and littering and the parking was a disaster. Here's footage of one of the attendees who got caught with her pants down:

Oh and remember "TransPecos" which was supposedly applying for a liquor license so they could pay for an A/C for mentally challenged students that they invite to play there during the day? They sailed past CB5 but then messed up big time and their liquor license was denied by SLA. Why? Word is that they stupidly posted a "BYOB" sign in their window and got raided by the NYPD and liquor was found. Whoopsie! Now they're calling electeds like mad in an attempt to try to fix their boo-boo.

Want proof? Above is a screenshot of SLA's map of current and pending liquor licenses. You'll notice the absence of a colored dot on Wyckoff between Hancock and Weirfield Streets. That means the application was 86'ed.

As a good friend stated when this was brought to her attention, "Welcome to the generation of geniuses who will be paying our social security kiddo. Be afraid. Be VERY afraid."

Indeed.

I also thought I would point once more out that Council Member Crowley supports both of these venues... and one of them isn't even in her district.

CB5 rejects liquor license for hipster party venue

From the Queens Chronicle:

Community Board 5 has had it with former factories looking to open as alcohol-serving event halls.

At last Wednesday’s meeting, all 35 board members voted in opposition to a 600-plus person liquor license for a yet-to-be-named establishment at 56-06 Cooper Ave. in Ridgewood.

CB 5 Chairman Vinny Arcuri and various board members worried that the site is too similar to the Knockdown Center, a former Maspeth factory-turned controversial arts and entertainment venue that battled the board for much of the last year over its unsuccessful attempt to garner a liquor license.

Like the Knockdown Center, the Ridgewood building has a large outdoor space capable of hosting packed events featuring hundreds of people and would like to host live musical acts as well.

“It’s another warehouse, another oversized operation without proper experience in management,” Arcuri said. “We’ve got to be alert to all of these.”

Arcuri expanded on the proposed liquor license in front of the board to discuss all alcohol permits for establishments looking to serve more than 600 people, specifically asking the Land Use and Public Safety committees to study the option of automatically opposing all such sizable liquor permits.

For decades, certain members of CB5 were salivating over the possibility that Ridgewood might be poised for gentrification. Now it's arrived and brought with it "seasonal" hipster party-fests in factories that used to actually provide year-round jobs. This is a classic case of "be careful what you wish for" and "reap what you sow". And this is just the beginning! The applicant is Justin Carter.

CB1 denies liquor license to topless bar

From Astoria Post:

The owners of a proposed topless bar called ‘Racks’ claim they can’t get a fair shake.

The owners, who aim to establish a bar featuring topless waitresses at 19-26 Steinway Street, went before Community Board 1 last night in their quest for a liquor license.

The owners, who were previously denied such a license by the State Liquor Authority last year, said that they plan to offer a venue that features a sports bar, lounge bar and night club—as well as topless servers.

Last year, Racks’ application received a chilly response from nearby residents, politicians and the Community Board 1. Last night, Community Board 1’s opinion had not changed.

“We recommend it be denied by the State Liquor Authority, for the detrimental impact this applicant, if licensed, would have on the quality of life of the community,” said Community Board 1 member Joseph Risi, who is in charge of liquor license applications for the board.

The majority of the board was opposed to Racks being granted a liquor license, with only five out of the 44 board members in attendance in favor of it.

Representatives of Racks, including lobbyist Adam Clayton Powell and attorney Mark Weinstein, emphasized that the business would be located in an industrial zone, away from the residential community.

Hipster hangout vacates premises

Want a good laugh? A tipster tells me that Roberta's, of overrated Bushwick pizza fame (not to mention pizza in lieu of paid internship infamy), opened a food stand in Rockaway, but it was recently shut down. Did they have permits to operate at the 189 Beach 96th Street location, which was the front yard of a derelict residential property? Did SLA or DOH shut the operation down? The details are sketchy. Roberta's never officially announced their opening, never responded to media requests about the opening and their website has absolutely no mention of the new - and now defunct - location.

Liquor license excuse sounds like a huge crock of crap

From the Queens Courier:

An arts center in Ridgewood is applying for a liquor license. Okay, sounds like Williamsburg so far.

But while it wants to serve alcohol for its weekend music shows, the owners also want to make more money so that they can continue to offer free services on weekdays to the local community — especially the intellectually disabled.

“The basic logic behind this place is we’re here in the community and the community needs space so we give them space,” said Sam Hillmer, one of the owners of the venue Trans Pecos. “We believe that we can be the new model for new art spaces opening up in the community.”

Every Tuesday afternoon, The Downtown Electric band can be found practicing its music set. The group is made up of six intellectually disabled people who have been practicing in the space since Trans Pecos opened in December 2013.

Harris, who is a Certified Safety Professional, explains that some days the venue gets too hot, causing them to have to cut the band’s practice short. But with the liquor license, Hillmer said there will be enough money to install an air conditioner and make the venue more tolerable for AHRC and other community groups.

The venue also houses a record label, Northern Spy, and a coffee shop is in the process of being built in the front of the building.

Hillmer and the other owner, Justin Todd Patrick, applied for a liquor license with the State Liquor Authority last week and they are also seeking the approval of Community Board 5.

Ok, so in a nutshell, they're using the excuse that the kids need air conditioning in order to get their liquor license. Their temp C of O says restaurant and rehearsal studio. Here's what it looked like inside when the Silent Barn was illegally operating out of it.

[See last comment for update.]