The meeting was adjourned til Monday night, November 3, when we can move into the larger auditorium, and enjoy the same disrespectful dialogue. Tonight was just getting going! But, I did get a tidbit worth the price of admission, and I can't bear to keep it to myself.
Jim Mamary of Lincoln Park Tavern and Bluebird Cafe fame was there to ask for a renewal of his liquor license. He happened to let fly that he's closing LPT at the end of December, due to an enormous increase in rent demanded by Rong Ge. Bargaining tactic? Looked to me like he was just plain fed up and ready to put his time and effort into his other nook, which seems to be coming along, though without the bra' high five vibe at other newcomer Midwood Flats, where Brits and Germans are well represented on the taps. Then you got Erv's, with its tiny suave Beekman Place attitude and fine single malt Scotch, south-of-the-border Siembra Azul tequila...throw in Lincoln Park Tavern PBR's and Georgi vodka (til New Year's anyway) and end up at D'Avenue for Jamaican rum and you've got yourself a pub crawl. Then stumble into ParksideZ for zee digestif (pint of Daz?) and now it's a globe trotting recipe for serious next-day porcelain worship.
$16,000. Jim let fly that's what landlady Rong Ge wants every month for LPT. Hard to get there selling nachos. Wonder if Rong's got another sucker up her sleeve? And god help ToTT. I'd be bummed to lose those guys, so I hope she lays off 'em. As for LPT - would Mamary really re-up his license at $10K for just two more months of fiesta? Hmmm. I'm really digging those itals. Speaking of which... Scoops! Ital food that you MUST try before the 23-story tower, which is already MASSIVE at 14, falls on it.
Now...what might fill the hole where there once were burritos and bourbon? Bikes, of course. Word came that Citibike, the gateway drug to actual bike ownership and a Citibank ATM card, is expanding, and that Lincoln Road is on the map of next stops - just barely! From this map, it's hard to imagine the Q at Parkside gets on there. Which it should, by gum!! Go here and suggest it!
9 comments:
First off...the Community Board meeting was forced to shut down early. Officials at Medgar Evers were not amused by the rowdy makeshift demonstration that erupted when the auditorium we were in became filled to capacity, and some eager attendees were shut out due to fire code.
Once again, it's worth re-reading the prologue in Tom Wolfe's "Bonfire of the Vanities."
Prologue -- "Mutt on Fire":
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bonfire-Vanities-Tom-Wolfe/dp/0312427573#reader_0312427573
The ranters and ravers of MTOPP live in their own world, which is not the world in which the city's decision-makers operate.
Given the pre-event indicators, this was not a surprise
http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/44826/mtopp-strikes-again-#Item_19
As I'm sure you're aware there's a lot more to the whole LPT saga than a "massive" rent increase demand. Jim Mamary and crew have been awful tenants for years, consistently late on rent, asking for rent reductions, altering leases, etc., while their establishment has attracted a less-than-well-behaved crowd and the gangs of loud, drunken smokers outside have made life hell for the tenants living above the space (part of the reason that all the action at Bluebird has been moved to the back?).
I don't think Tip of the Tongue has anything to worry about, especially considering that they are only one year in on a multi-year lease. As with any small landlord, there's a lot of emphasis on personality, and from what I understand they get along fine. Here's hoping some place equally nice takes over the LPT space (and that rent is, I believe for both the bar and the restaurant spaces)
You also didn't mention any concern for the Wholesome Food guys, but, again, I think they'll be fine. LPT/Enduro's is just an example of a bad tenant (albeit with some nice employees), and I say good riddance.
Jay Walder, the new head of Atra Bike Share, which operates Citi Bike, is a former Midwood II resident ; perhaps that bodes well for the eventual expantion of that program to our neighborhood.
LPT always seems kind of sketchy. But not in a good way, it would be nice to have a place that I could take my parents when they are in town. Instead of going down to Ditmas Park. LPT doesn't seem to rise to the occasion. Glorified bar and dark and dingy. That space should have something nicer. I'm no fan of ToTT (it's pretty overpriced for the quality of the baked goods and their credit card policy is not just stupid, it's illegal) but at least it's a fairly welcoming place. I think they are perfect for that strip. I'd like to see the carry out Chinese place and that sketchy bodega go away though probably more than anything.
Since 2010 it has been legal for merchants to set a minimum credit card purchases: http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/credit-card-minimum-payment-purchases-law-1282.php
What is illegal is adding a surcharge to credit card purchases, which Tip of the Tongue does not do.
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I'd always thought so too, yet most gas stations now routinely charge more if you pay with a credit card. Do they get around the law by claiming it isn't a surcharge but a "discount for cash"? Anyone know?
Not having a car (or even a drivers license) I wasn't aware of that, but it's true - and legal (as is the case for everyone charging a surcharge, as of last year - except businesses in certain states. Yuck! http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/tips/credit-card-charged-more-gas-station/
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