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NEWSLETTER - Winter 2005
Yes, we have left the building. But our spirit and our beliefs remain the same. Please keep checking our website to see where we are and what events we are throwing. You may be delighted. Our vision did not work well on Smith Street, so we most likely will end up in Manhattan. So far we have had 6 burlesque shows on Bond Street and a pre-Halloween sensual extravaganza at Madame X. Keep in touch. We will always be fighters for the arts, for the entrepreneurial spirit, for the creative vision. For those of you who are interested, I will explain to the best of my ability why we left Smith Street, Brooklyn.
When EEE aka Boudoir Bar found its¡¦ space with a garden on Smith Street in Brooklyn over 4 years ago, we felt as if we had struck gold. Unfortunately, there were many factors which lead to our leaving. The history of all of the transformations of Smith Street is a long, arduous one. Let me try and explain the way I see it as it happened. When a street goes from boarded up storefronts to the hottest real estate south of the Heights within a few years there is bound to be animosity among certain groups of people.
In the beginning the street had a true eclectic feel. There was a strong ¡§old¡¨ neighborhood present with a religious icon shop, bodegas, trinket and used clothing stores, cigarette shops, social clubs as well as restaurants which have stood the test of time ranging from Spanish, Italian, Middle Eastern and American .We as entrepreneurs were equally diversified, a spinning DJ coffee house, original fashion shops from clothing to jewelry, little bistros
and bars with their own individual flavor. Many of the entrepreneurs were women. Boudoir Bar was to be the only place with continual live entertainment.
The artists and like minded people who once lived on Smith Street and the new business owners were optimistic, despite many of our businesses opening right before the event of September 11th.To make a long story shorter, here is what happened transpired. Rents began to climb, some people, even though small in number, began complaining with fervor to the police and dialed 311 complaining about noise. These people were and are relentless and I fear for the other small establishments on Smith because of their small minded
thinking. Aside from the Anti-small restaurant/bar brigade, old stores lost their leases after generations of being there due to their landlords¡¦ realization of how much their storefronts were now worth. Many people, young and old were forced out, as were businesses which had been on Smith Street for over 2 decades. The 311 number became what we unhappily called ¡§the rat¡¨ number. All the people who call it are protected. No one receiving the complaints can know who their accusers are, and have little if no rights.
Animosities grew despite all of the little bars and restaurants trying to appease and please. Noise complaints brought hefty fines. The ticketing and targeting frenzy began and continues. The No Smoking law went into affect. All of these things in combination took enormous tolls on the small business owner.
A piano playing at 9pm on a Tuesday night got me a $750.00 fine. Why? My door was left open on that night and under the 220 B law, no one can ¡§promote business by use of electronic device¡¨. This law which was put into affect in the early 1990¡¦s was meant for businesses that had speakers bolted outside of their businesses blaring music to get people to come in. The city¡¦s misuse of this law was our partial undoing and I predict will be the undoing of all of live entertainment in this city. Within 4 years, Boudoir Bar paid out more than $6,000. dollars in fines and legal fees .One business owner was fined $10,000 dollars; $100 dollars per flier that was found on a car
trying to promote her business. She lost at the tribunal (yes, they actually call it that) and had all but 10 days to pay it.
After 3 years of petitions, newscasts, and reporters writing about our fight to stay alive, plus a democratic vote that I set up for people in the neighborhood last fall to see if more people than not wanted us to stay, (which was the case (53 ¡Vstay, 13 ¡Vget out) we decided it was not worth our precious energy to continue there. We hope that you stay with us and the real spirit of New York. The New York I speak about is the New York I grew up with, a vibrant
melting pot of talent, culture and ideas and venues that allowed the expression of those things. The real New York welcomes the lively, raucous, fun loving and eclectic, it is a city that never sleeps or is put out of business because of greed, envy and gentrification.
Stay in touch,
Garrett McConnell
PS UPDATE: The Smith Street Posse is trying to shut down all the gardens of all the restaurants and bars. Call your local politician and voice your complaints.
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