Sam -

Any word on BlueGrass (corner of Fort and Hanover)? The sign is up and the bar looks nearly complete....I'm guessing there must have been an ownership/license transfer since I heard the Ryleighs owner was going to call it Avery's Pearl.

Frankie:

'Owner" Shawn Mitchell and McComas had a big-time falling out… Neither of them are eligible to be issued a Liquor License.

Shawn offered the highly touted Executive Chef from Taverna Corvino (Christopher Paternotte) a deal for for this new place BlueGrass – Avery is McComas’ other kid’s name.

Now most nights service is limited at Corvino to the bar area - perhaps McComas is retrenhing so he and his brother-in-law can concentrate on opoerating Federales across the street?

Right Sam?

Nice attempted hijack of the thread and chance to badmouth your favorite Federal Hill denizen. Why don't you email Sam instead of wasting this space?

Back to the topic.

Why would the name and the lack of publicity make it ANYTHING like Suite? Lots of afterhours places get complaints. And if its afterhours, then its not licensed. Already sounds different to me.

That really isn't the best neighborhood.
I wouldn't recommend going there after hours.

Yeah, this looks like a fun place to be from 2am - 6am on any given night.

http://bit.ly/9cohNR

Yeah, Sam you head over that way after hours and you'll really make the news...

Sam, stop snitchin'.

Seriously? Is the liquor board this dumb? Was Club Stop Snitchin already taken?

LOL @ stop snitchin. I doubt if this "After hours" place considered courting the liquor board. But yeah this is two blocks from The Corner- yes "The Corner" that we all read and watched

I read The Corner at 13 or 14 growing up in Columbia. It seemed more like fiction to me than a real story that took place less than 15 miles from my house.

I devoured it that summer and I think I might read it again now. Thanks for reminding me about it.

Sam, I am the attorney with the Community Law Center who represented the community against the women who had originally applied for a liquor license for that location. They were denied because there were 2 churches within 200 feet of the property. Since then, the owners have been operating illegally. They are required to register as a bottle club-they have failed to do so. In addition, you are not permitted to allow the consumption of alcohol on any commercial site anywhere in Baltimore after 2am. Yet consumption is permitted at this establishment way into the early morning. The owners of this place, Paradox and all the other after hours establishments are operating illegally and hoping to not get caught.

Balto. is so progressive that they outlawed after hours spots a few years ago, so let's all go home little boys and girls and be in bed by 9:00pm like good little sheep!

The owners of this place, Paradox and all the other after hours establishments are operating illegally and hoping to not get caught.

Shhhhhhhh.....

Michele is right. They were denied a license by the Board. We are grateful for her efforts in this regard. Therefore, this falls out of our jurisdiction.
PS That "stop snitching lounge" comment was rich!

Oh, goodie, now the problem moves. The loophole for bottle clubs needs to be closed ASAP. I love a good time as much as the next person(and often late into the evening and sometimes morning), but it seems no good ever comes of these establishments.
Being that i have actually seen the entire "Stop Snitching" dvd, i have no doubt that this joint is probably involved in that subset of Baltimore culture. I feel an incredible amount of sympathy for the neighborhood because of the festering wound that this has a high likelihood of becoming.

Can someone please explain "bottle club"?

" They were denied because there were 2 churches within 200 feet of the property."

That's a law that's been on the books and is often dismissed. When I had my liquor board application hearing the "community" tried to bring that up. It was denied because I sat in between Sotto Sopra and a sushi sopt who both had liquour licenses installed despite being within 50 feet of the bassillica.

They probably were denied for lack of history, business plans, and references.

So what did everyone think of the State of the Union speech?

There is a bill pending in the General Assembly which seeks to end all bottle clubs in the City. Stay tuned.

This should be the next location of the Midnight Sun meet-up.

I think this would be the last Midnight Sun meet-up if it was here!

They were denied because there were 2 churches within 200 feet of the property.

Is there a lot going on in churches between 2 and 6 a.m.? Maybe bars should have to be right next to churches. They don't seem to have much overlap in hours.

Hey, there's an idea, TerrierGirl. In fact, maybe an after-hours club could meet inside a church, as long as they clear out by the start of Matins.

A Bottle Club is any establishment without a liquor license that permits patrons to consume alcohol which they have "previously purchased or reserved." So essentially, it is every establishment that permits BYOB. As mentioned above, a bill is being considered which will have the effect of protecting communities and restaurants who want to continue to allow their patrons to BYOB. My community clients and members of Communities Organized for Responsible Alcohol Laws (CORAL) are very excited about this bill. It also will prevent Bottle Clubs from competing with other licensees. So, it's a win/win.

Michelle -

Will that bill also ban restaurants from allowing their patrons to bring their own wine?

NR, if you are going to a licensed premise to eat it is already illegal for you to bring your own wine. A license holder cannot serve alcohol that was not purchased from a Maryland wholesaler. It's a taxation issue. If you are asking about BYO places (i.e. restaurants without a liquor license), I think Michelle answered that question in her 3:28 post.

On a different topic, I wonder if the church regulation is specific to tavern licenses rather than restaurant licenses (which have very different rules). LiquorBoarding, can you help?

Volker, You're right. Restaurants and clubs are not held to this standard except in the 46th District (S & SE BALT) where there are very few and specific instances in which it would not apply.

no club is 100 pct angel-no club
i dont care who runs it....no drugs are a policy at any club-but its always someone sniffing coke in the bathroom,and that doesnt make it policy of the club...
but i can tell u that the policy of both hush
and the paradox is NO ALCOHOL....believe what u want...go down and look for yourself rather than assuming...thats all im sayin

No alcohol supplied by the club, no outside alcohol after 2 am, right Scottie?

From what I was told by a friend who works the counter for the Steeze events at the Paradox, anything left behind the counter after 2am is now the property of counterperson, not to be given out anymore.

But let's be honest, you can't deny the history of the Paradox. It's a mixed bag, at best.

ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL SUPPLIED BY THE CLUB,and no outside alcohol after 2 which means none at all,BCUZ THE CLUB DOESNT OPEN UNTIL AFTER 2AM...they dont even allow byob....outside alcohol?u cant blame the club for that when the club itself doesnt serve or allow it inside at all....mayb a patron on the way in...or even a passer by....but def not from the inside at all...