By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper
This may be the last dance for Club Shadows.
On Aug. 22, the embattled Fourth Avenue nightclub’s plea offer was rejected by the State Liquor Authority, which came back with an offer of its own — give up your liquor license or go to trial.
Shadows had offered the authority $10,000 and a 15-day suspension of its liquor license to settle charges dating back to Nov. 30, 2006— which included a serious count of not having a proper liquor license.
But “the plea offer was not enough to satisfy the board,” said Liquor Authority spokesman Bill Crowley.
The latest setback for the controversial club comes after two brawls — one on June 5 and another on Aug. 10, cops said — and both incidents hurt the bar’s chance of retaining its liquor license.
“Obviously, there are serious questions about whether Shadows can responsibly hold this license,” Crowley said. “Anytime the police have to be called and there is violence, the board takes it very seriously.”
The latest charges — stemming from the violent incidents — are separate matters, which mean two more trials, Crowley said.
Club Shadows, which is between 90th and 91st streets, got on the community radar screen last November, when a sign featuring the silhouette of a curvy woman was installed. The sign also promised “exotic dancers” at the Nov. 30 opening.
The strippers never materialized. In fact, inside Club Shadows, there isn’t a hint of the controversy that local officials feared. When a Brooklyn Paper reporter visited this week, he found a club scene not too different than others in New York.
The lighting was dark and the drinks pricey, but the business was clean and the crowd of twentysomethings were well-controlled by two large security guards who made their presence obvious.
Aside from people smoking in the bathroom (a common club nuisance), there were no noticeable problems — and no naked woman.
That’s a far cry from what local officials expected when Councilman Vince Gentile (D–Bay Ridge) brought SLA inspectors to the Club Shadows opening, and the agency hit the establishment with the four original violations.
Shadows lawyer William Spanakos could not be reached for comment.
Showing posts with label club shadows. Show all posts
Showing posts with label club shadows. Show all posts
Friday, September 7, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Stabbing haunts Club Shadows
By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper
A man was stabbed outside of Club Shadows, the embattled Fourth Avenue nightclub, on Aug. 10, police said.
The victim told cops that he was standing alone when two unfamiliar men approached him at 3 am. At some point, an argument began and one of the men pulled a knife and stabbed the 24-year-old in the chest.
The thugs fled, and the wounded club-hopper was treated and released at Maimonides Medical Center in nearby Borough Park.
The violent incident at the doorstep of the controversial club comes after a June 5 fight at the establishment — and both incidents could damage the bar’s chance of retaining its liquor license amid ongoing negotiations with the State Liquor Authority over other charges.
“Any time the police have to be called and there is violence, the board takes it very seriously,” said Bill Crowley, a spokesman for the State Liquor Authority. “A business with a liquor license is expected to maintain control over its property.”
The June 5 fight occurred as Shadows owners were trying to settle earlier SLA charges — including a serious count of not having a proper liquor license.
The latest charges — stemming from the violent incidents — are separate matters, which mean two more trials, Crowley said.
Club Shadows, which is between 90th and 91st streets, got on the community radar screen last November, when a sign featuring the silhouette of a curvy woman was installed. The sign also promised “exotic dancers” at the Nov. 30 opening.
The strippers never materialized, but the troubles were only beginning.
Councilman Vince Gentile (D–Bay Ridge) brought SLA inspectors to the opening, and the agency hit Club Shadows with the four original violations.
Shadows lawyer William Spanakos could not be reached for comment.
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
The Brooklyn Paper
A man was stabbed outside of Club Shadows, the embattled Fourth Avenue nightclub, on Aug. 10, police said.
The victim told cops that he was standing alone when two unfamiliar men approached him at 3 am. At some point, an argument began and one of the men pulled a knife and stabbed the 24-year-old in the chest.
The thugs fled, and the wounded club-hopper was treated and released at Maimonides Medical Center in nearby Borough Park.
The violent incident at the doorstep of the controversial club comes after a June 5 fight at the establishment — and both incidents could damage the bar’s chance of retaining its liquor license amid ongoing negotiations with the State Liquor Authority over other charges.
“Any time the police have to be called and there is violence, the board takes it very seriously,” said Bill Crowley, a spokesman for the State Liquor Authority. “A business with a liquor license is expected to maintain control over its property.”
The June 5 fight occurred as Shadows owners were trying to settle earlier SLA charges — including a serious count of not having a proper liquor license.
The latest charges — stemming from the violent incidents — are separate matters, which mean two more trials, Crowley said.
Club Shadows, which is between 90th and 91st streets, got on the community radar screen last November, when a sign featuring the silhouette of a curvy woman was installed. The sign also promised “exotic dancers” at the Nov. 30 opening.
The strippers never materialized, but the troubles were only beginning.
Councilman Vince Gentile (D–Bay Ridge) brought SLA inspectors to the opening, and the agency hit Club Shadows with the four original violations.
Shadows lawyer William Spanakos could not be reached for comment.
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
Thursday, July 19, 2007
New charges against Club Shadows
By Matthew Lysiak
The Brooklyn Paper
Club Shadows, the embattled Fourth Avenue nightclub that pleaded not guilty to four violations earlier this year, now wants to make a deal after getting hit with a new set of charges.
Three accusations have been leveled against the club, all stemming from a fight on June 5.
The specific charges filed by the Liquor Authority on June 5 alleged that Shadows owners with “permitting the premises to become disorderly,” “permitting an altercation or assault to occur,” and “failure to exercise adequate supervision over the conduct of the licensed business.”
Or in the words of Bill Crowley, a spokesman for the State Liquor Authority, there was barroom brawl.
“There was a fight and the cops had to be called,” said Crowley.
Details of the fight remain unclear, but the new allegations came only days before Shadows offered to settle earlier State Liquor Authority charges, the most serious being that the club did not have a proper liquor license.
“Not having [it] could possibly result in revoking the license,” Crowley said.
The less-serious charges include not registering the name “Club Shadows,” and the discovery of flies in one booze bottle, according to Crowley.
The terms of the deal are confidential until the board can review it and make its determination.
“It isn’t uncommon that a deal is made to settle charges like these,” said Crowley. “These are serious charges and the board will make a determination based on the evidence.”
The new charges are a separate matter, which means another trial, according to Crowley.
“The plea is only relevant to the old charges,” said Crowley. “They haven’t pleaded to the new charges yet, which are very serious.”
Shadows had until July 11 to respond, according to the summons.
Club Shadows, which is between 90th and 91st streets, got on the community radar screen in November, when a sign featuring the silhouette of a curvy woman was installed.
The sign also promised “exotic dancers” at the Nov. 30 opening.
The strippers never materialized, but the troubles were only beginning.
Councilman Vince Gentile (D–Bay Ridge) brought SLA inspectors to the opening, and the agency hit Club Shadows with the four original violations.
Shadows lawyer William Spanakos could not be reached for comment.
The Brooklyn Paper
Club Shadows, the embattled Fourth Avenue nightclub that pleaded not guilty to four violations earlier this year, now wants to make a deal after getting hit with a new set of charges.
Three accusations have been leveled against the club, all stemming from a fight on June 5.
The specific charges filed by the Liquor Authority on June 5 alleged that Shadows owners with “permitting the premises to become disorderly,” “permitting an altercation or assault to occur,” and “failure to exercise adequate supervision over the conduct of the licensed business.”
Or in the words of Bill Crowley, a spokesman for the State Liquor Authority, there was barroom brawl.
“There was a fight and the cops had to be called,” said Crowley.
Details of the fight remain unclear, but the new allegations came only days before Shadows offered to settle earlier State Liquor Authority charges, the most serious being that the club did not have a proper liquor license.
“Not having [it] could possibly result in revoking the license,” Crowley said.
The less-serious charges include not registering the name “Club Shadows,” and the discovery of flies in one booze bottle, according to Crowley.
The terms of the deal are confidential until the board can review it and make its determination.
“It isn’t uncommon that a deal is made to settle charges like these,” said Crowley. “These are serious charges and the board will make a determination based on the evidence.”
The new charges are a separate matter, which means another trial, according to Crowley.
“The plea is only relevant to the old charges,” said Crowley. “They haven’t pleaded to the new charges yet, which are very serious.”
Shadows had until July 11 to respond, according to the summons.
Club Shadows, which is between 90th and 91st streets, got on the community radar screen in November, when a sign featuring the silhouette of a curvy woman was installed.
The sign also promised “exotic dancers” at the Nov. 30 opening.
The strippers never materialized, but the troubles were only beginning.
Councilman Vince Gentile (D–Bay Ridge) brought SLA inspectors to the opening, and the agency hit Club Shadows with the four original violations.
Shadows lawyer William Spanakos could not be reached for comment.
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