It was reported in February that Good First Date bar Illusions (1025 South Charles St., Federal Hill) had its entertainment license challenged in court by Paul Robinson and the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association, a challenge that was dismissed by judge Audrey Carrion (awesome name btw).
Now it would seem that the FHNA is up to its antics again, and has protested the renewal of owner Kenneth Horsman’s liquor license for the venue, along with around-the-corner neighboring establishments Ryleigh’s Oyster, Stalking Horse, and the defunct Billabong Bar / FKA Turner’s.
I’m going to go ahead and make a very educated guess that the signatories on the petitions (which were unavailable while typing this) include the usual Robinson-types and certain parties involved in a certain boutique on Cross St., but until I find out we’ll stick to a “probably” on that one.
And I’m sure that the usual litany of complaints will be lobbied at the establishments: loud drunken behavior, too crowded, pizza boxes and vomit on the ground, et cetera et cetera. What strikes me as exceedingly odd about the protest of these particular drinkeries is a) one of them isn’t even open for business the transfer is being protested, or something b) the omission of equally loud and crowded and drunken establishments within eyeshot, and c) the inclusion of Illusions into the whole lot of them, my best guess for letter c being someone really has a bug up their asses for the Horsmans, or someone is gunning for their liquor license in the worst way possible.
Worse yet, unless the complaints deviate from the usual whining about noise that has repeatedly been dismissed by the liquor board in the past, this is a huge waste of money and time for everyone involved. At what point do the same people who repeatedly make the same complaints about the same places and get denied by the city come to terms with the fact that they’re wasting their time and everyone else’s? Does anyone else feel this way?
The hearing for these protests are scheduled throughout the month of April, with Illusion’s hearing occurring on the 28th. Expect to hear more soon.
04/27/11 Update: Mr. Sam Sessa put together a lengthy piece on the growing hostility toward Federal Hill bars via the FHNA and others. Read it!
04/28/11 Update: All license renewals have been granted by the liquor board, but the hostility remains unfortunately.
The Fed Hill Neighborhood Association is a joke. Plain and simple.
Reighley’s owns Billabong’s Liquor license which he is transferring to the area that is directly across Charles Street from Cross Street Market. He’s planning to open a Mexican restaurant there… but he is also a douche bag!
Zelda Zen!!!
I heard FHNA raised a stink when Nobles offered beer pong league specials, ($2 bud lights or something) and made nobles raise their prices. I’m wondering if that was just a BS excuse to raise the price though.
Not only that but FHNA was part and parcel to the attempted ban on Beer Pong altogether (http://ht.ly/4whnM). Whether or not the price hike was surreptitiously linked to the stink, can’t say
I live on Charles St, and walk past Illusions daily with my dog, and I’ve never seen any evidence of disruption caused by Illusions. Paul Robinson and the other members of the FHNA are a bunch of self servers who are doing nothing to make Federal Hill thrive the way it could if they directed their attention to issues that would actually make a difference. Instead, they waste their time trying to bully residents and tax payers.
i rarely see anyone in illusions at all
That’s because Spencer made them disappear, duh #magic
Actually turns out Beth from Zelda Zen is in support of illusions and refused to sign the petition against Ken and Spencer.
Good info, thanks!
As a former whiskey warrior, and reformed alcoholic I still find it particularly sad when a minority demographic ( A.K.A.FUN CRUSHERS) repeatedly attempt to alter the urban offerings of a destination district that the y choose to inhabit. Now that I’m old and live in the county I probably have no business commenting on this at all.
Most people on the petition have lived in the neighborhood far longer than any of the bars have been around. They chose to inhabit a nice quiet neighborhood, not one full of drunk yuppies and underage kids that can’t handle their liquor and puke all over the place.
I love it when ignorant people use the word “yuppies”.What exactly is a yuppie? That would be a great blog, Evan.
Yeah, but their property values skyrocketed due to those bars being there. If they go away, then values drop again.
A very large percentage of the “neighbors” of these establishments moved in during the boom in which these bars began opening in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. without these businesses federal hill is a CVS, almost empty cross street market, and failing boutiques, there are bad eggs but give credit where credit is due. Without these businesses there would be more vacant properties and no community association.
Illusions is one of the classiest bars in town and the Horsmans couldn’t be more genuinely hospitable people. I took my family there to celebrate my son’s 16th birthday and it was incredible. The clientele was upscale. The decor was fantastic. The show was amazing. Ken and Spencer went out of their way to make it a really special evening for my son, a budding magician. Does this Robinson dude realise that his apparent vendetta is pretty transparent?
I just learned explicitly and directly via my own personal experience, that professional behavior, independent thought, and discourse are not encouraged at FHNA meetings by a certain community leader.” “Any hint of disagreement with their positions and you will be literally physically and verbally threatened, called every name in the book, called disloyal, pushed and more, even when you offer to have a mature civil discussion AND EVEN when you state we may just have to agree to disagree