Nublu and the Liquor Authority

Hey nubluers! As many of you know, last week we got our liquor license taken away due to an anonymous complaint that we are too close to a House of Worship. The Liquor Authority did an investigation and said: yes, you are too close to a House of Worship, Jehovas Witness Kingdom Hall is across the street from Nublu. The crazy thing about this story is that we went through community board and the Liquor Authority 9 years ago to get a wine and beer license and then 7 years ago, again the same process, to get full Liquor license. It was approved both times.
I live on this street since 1995 and in the East Village since 1990 and I have been operating Nublu since 2002. Until I got this letter I had no idea the building across the street was 100% functioning as a house of worship. I and many people on this block always saw this space as more of a community meeting place for Jehovas Witness. If a space has a gallery opening , birthday parties or meeting space of some sort it doesn't go under the category of House of worship, many others and I have always seen their space as such. The thing is, it is not the Jehova's Witness Kingdom Hall that is complaining but someone anonymous, and that complaint led to this investigation. We have more than 200 people from these blocks who have signed a petition and we also have 17 letters from business owners and building owners from this same block who always saw their space the way we see it. They are meeting in there 2 hours a week and I have talked to them and they have nothing against us being here. The crazy thing about all of this is that we never even have had a legal hearing. As far as I understand it is a constitutional right to at least have a hearing before you get sentenced. The Liquor Authority just made a decision without even reading the letters or hearing me or anyone about this case. They simply came by and took Nublu's license.

So....we are still open ....with live music every nite and selling non alcoholic beer and juice till we resolve this. Which means we can't pay the bands as we used to and now we have to take this whole thing to court which is a very costly adventure but we just have to do it. Crazy !!! But be with us , we will not let this fade away... What is going on...? Is this a continuation of the city's crackdown on night life?? I have no idea but this thing of getting sentenced without even having a hearing really scares me.

This is the story ...but as I said we are open nightly and we will be back !! So come on by for a juice for now and support our live music! And if someone feels like supporting us a little more, please check our membership page on www.nublu.net or simply buy some nublu music from our digi store: http://digital.nublu.net/

I will keep you all updated.

peace and love, Ilhan Ersahin...





here's a song that i think fits this situation....