Can't wait to go have a drink! Bottoms up!

You have got to be kidding me!! Good neighbor my ass! He has no desire to be a good anything. I really hope this is not the end of this for the sake of Kirkwood. The slime ball attorney can care less about anything other then making a buck. Mr. Beginner you sir are a piece of crap of a human being who only wants to make money at the cost of Kirkwood, a community who obviously does not want a NIGHTCLUB operating in a family condo complex!

Uh ok. How about we live here and have no issue with all the other minority owned businesses? Johnson's business was based on a nightclub type atmosphere. Kirkwood also has club esso. Difference is location. Don't open a club in a condo mixed use retail location with two for one drink specials, booty nights, ladies free before midnight, cover charges, and bouncers. That's not a sports bar. That's a club. Plus add mirror tint. This is not about race, as easy of a lame argument as you would like to make it out to be. Unfortunately people are trying to make it that way because then you don't have to argue facts, just emotion.

The Pullman bar opened up across the street and there are no complaints about this place. They show what a good neighborhood bar is supposed to be like.

I hope it works out or ends quick if it doesn't. I'm getting a bad vibe. Unfirtunately, I'm usually right and someone gets hurt.

Why are we even wasting time arguing about this foolishness? Really...how long do you think this lame-assed, anachronistic, and just plain TIRED small time operation is going to last without the good will of the surrounding community?

I give this juke joint less than a year from today to peter out. Now let's get focused on attracting a tenant that gets the good neighbor piece for the next go 'round.

Vote NO on TSPLOST. That, like this bar, is a scam too!

Wow! Pure and utter vitriol. Interesting that none of you haters appear to have any concern as to why the superior court reversed the mayor's decision. While the mayor clearly heard the community concerns with his decision, the court reminded us all that there is nothing more important than the law. Unless you believe the owner of this place is also influencing the court, then figure out how to deal with him or move somewhere else. It's nothing but the law, baby! The law!

"Closing Kirkwood Bar and Grill is not about race.” If you say so. But if it’s not about race—it’s about something else; gentrification. Let’s be clear. "Kirkwood Station" is NOT “the Kirkwood Community" and Kirkwood Station’s inhabitants are not reflective of the Kirkwood Community at large, nor are the immediate residents of “downtown” Kirkwood for that matter. Unfortunately for Kirkwood Bar and Grill, the racial demographic (do your homework on this) which overwhelmingly makes up the “Kirkwood Community” will not be reading this news story, much less, leaving a comment. But trust me; they do NOT have a problem with Kirkwood Bar & Grill.
I hate to burst your bubble “Close Kirkwood Bar”-ers, but your personal taste is not the standard by which all Sports Bars are measured. “One drink specials’, ‘ladies free before midnight,’ ‘cover charges’, and ‘bouncers” may not be what you’re used to, but it is certainly common-place at many African-American BARS throughout the U.S. as well as on “Hip-Hop” nights at many conventional BARS everywhere. More directly—YOUR sports bar experience is not OUR sports bar experience and you, the vocal minority will soon realize that the silent majority that makes up the real Kirkwood Community supports Kirkwood Bar and Grill and will show that support with their dollars. We are elated that they have been vindicated by the rule of law and now looking forward to that drink…

Hold up. So what about all the other minority owned businesses in kirkwood? Morrisons lounge, club esso, petit marchet, spades now a seafood place, a dance studio, Ann's snack shack, Wyatt's BBQ, langfords, and many others. These are part of the community as well. I don't see people working to shut them down. East Atlanta is fighting something similar with asylum bar. Are they racist? By the way, two for one drink specials are illegal and he advertised these on flyers all throughout kirkwood and in his restaurant. Regarding your argument of just move or deal with it, I would not want a white frat boy drink fest with dj music and half dressed women with bouncers and cover charges in the condo building retail in kirkwood either.

Have you ever heard of a business plan? Its a BAR and grill--ot a pizza joint (althought their barbeque pizza is incredible). Do you know what "margins" are? Or how about a business plan? Revenue from the bar is necessary for ANY BAR and grill to be successful and remain open. Interestingly enough though (and to your point), Kirkwood Bar & Grill has SUCCESSFULLY remained open in despite the ilegal denial of an alcohol permit by the Mayor. I do love how you guys keep moving the goal-post in this argument though--I'm sure name-calling is just around the corner. And we both know you have no idea what his health inspection score is, but nice try...

Lied to the residents of Kirkwood? Your broad statements, I think, are representative of your elitist perspective. Which residents of Kirkwood has the owner lied to? Those at Bixby Court Apartments? Campbell Street residents? Do you even know where in Kirkwood these places are? You and others like you--please stop claiming to speak on behalf of “Kirkwood residents.” As I said in my initial post—you guys represent a VERY SMALL percentage of the inhabitants of Kirkwood. You are speaking on behalf of “Kirkwood Station,” and/or “downtown” Kirkwood. Please make sure to articulate that, going forward.

In response to your other question; “If you opened a bar that "specialized in bagpipe playing" next to my home, where my toddler slept,” that would no doubt suck for me and my toddler and I would not like your being there. But if I bought or rented a property which was next to a vacant or already occupied Bar, I would have to take ownership in this decision. And if I moved into an area of the city that was 70% + Irish, I would be fully prepared to deal with the Irish culture that now surrounded me or might, in the future--including potential occupancy of the vacant bar property next to the unit I purchased. I (since you asked) would not be willing to take the risk of moving next to a commercial property of any kind because I have no say (or limited say) in what business will occupy the space next to where my “toddler” lays his head. If I could not be happy there, I would rent my property and find another place to live and if I rented the property, I would find another place to live immediately.

CeeJay,

Please do yourself a favor and do at least 10 minutes of research before posting such uninformed nonsense about this matter.

They operated for months in an illegal manner in regards to liquor sales (drink specials), city codes (mirror tint), and they repeatedly violated their agreements with the HOA and residents of Kirkwood Station in regards to operating hours and noise violations.

This is all well documented and not debatable.

If they reopen, which looks doubtful at this point, (I've heard that they haven't paid any HOA dues in quite a while) they will have to abide by the agreement they signed with the HOA or the HOA can have them removed.

That's really all there is to it.

What is a Fulton County judge doing hearing a case in DeKalb County?

CeeJay--

I know all about Bixby Court Apartments, which by the way is renamed Kirkwood Apartments. That complex has an APD courtesy officer living there. Once the officer moved in 5 people moved out. What does that tell you? Everyone in Kikrwood REGARDLESS of race wants the community to be safe. This community is VERY diverse as well as the business owners. There are black, white, gay and straight business owners in Kirkwood. The difference between them and KB&G is that they abide by the law and did not lie before opening their business. Try to defend Mr. Johnson as much as you like, the fact is everything he has done is by his own word and hand. I am white and frequent all the businesses in Kirkwood. I could care less what color the owner is. I would not visit KB&G becuase I don't want to wind up in the hospital puking and pooping my guts out! There is NO excuse for the health department score that place received. Tell me a good reason for such low scores and I will listen CeeJay. HOA rules disreagrded, advertised drink specials, booty night. Call me crazy but I have never gone somwhere to eat dinner and vote on the roundness of someones tush. If Mr. Johnson had abided by the HOA rules, did what he said he would do upon opening his doors, Kirkwood would have supported him. As a previous post commented, CeeJay do your research. I think a lot of us know much more about what is truly going on.

Any claims of a racial basis for neighborhood rejection of the application for an alcohol permit for Kirkwood Bar and Grill is pure B.S. Of 18 alcohol permits in NPU-O (Kirkwood, East Lake, and Edgewood) only three are held by whites and another three by corporations (Kroger, Publix, etc.). The remaining 12 are Black or Asian held.

Of 10 alcohol permits in Kirkwood only two are white held.

Kirkwood Bar and Grill failed because it served bad product, chose a business model inappropriate to it's location and contractual agreements, completely disrespected it's residential neighbors, reportedly stiffed it's landlord (and others), and failed to address community complaints and concerns (particularly related to public safety). Any business anywhere anytime operating in like fashion will fail.

This may be a moot point. The doors are chained and padlocked and there's a dispossessory (eviction) case against the owner for nonpayment. They reached an agreement where the first payment of $30,000 was due yesterday, with another $60k to be paid semi-monthly through October. It's Case number 12D23576 in the DeKalb Magistrate Court if anyone wants to follow along.

Even if the liquor license materializes before then, with restaurant scores in the 60s it's going to be tough to pay back $90k in arrears in 3 months. They'd have to make a profit (not just revenue) of $1000/day...or have an angel investor.

A bit off topic but someone above posted "And yes, a restaurant can survive without an alcohol permit - the local pizza joint has been BYOB for 5 years and is awesome."

Guess what? Not legal in City of Atlanta!

10-3(a) It shall be a violation of this chapter for any premises, that performs or undertakes any type of operation or activity for which a occupation tax certificate issued pursuant to Chapter 30 is required to be operated in a manner that allows any person to consume alcoholic beverages at such premises unless a license issued under this chapter allowing on premises consumption of alcoholic beverages has first been obtained. This prohibition shall apply without regard to whether the alcoholic beverages are provided free of charge as a part of any promotion by the owner of the premises or operator of the business, given as prizes in connection with any type of contests or raffles, given as bonuses or inducements offered in connection with the purchases of goods and/or services, brought onto the premises by other persons or otherwise made available. Any person employed by the business and who is present at the time when alcoholic beverages are being consumed at a non-licensed premises or location maybe charged with this offense."
***********
(Code 1977, § 14-2003; Ord. No. 2004-68, § 3, 10-8-04; Ord. No. 2011-35(11-O-1137), § 2, 8-24-11)

The above ordinance was passed rather quietly last year and helps to address inequities in the rules that businesses with alcohol licenses must follow vs non-licensees. It has helped mostly in reducing the number of parties in warehouse and other unlicensed venues. But this pizza place that is mentioned that allows BYOB is (in theory) allowing people to drink (very cheaply, by the way) on the premises, whereas a competing restaurant with an alcohol license has a tremendous amount of other fees and costs incurred to allow this. Can anyone see how this is not really fair to the business that has the license? [Disclosure: My spouse is the agent for 2 liquor licenses in the City of Atlanta.]

Also, anyone who has to rely upon saying that having "2 for 1" or other drink specials is "illegal" may be technically correct but is grasping at straws. Even the Atlanta Alcohol Technical Advisory Group II is leaning towards recommending that the City change these laws because they are so broadly violated.

Certainly there is some validity to having some type of law that prohibits extreme business practices which would encourage binge drinking, etc., but offering a special lower price on, for example, margaritas every Wednesday night should not be illegal. Get educated on this topic here:
http://clatl.com/atlanta/unhappy-hour/Content?oid=1283676

:(

The doors are back locked with.chains