Neighborhood fights for city to deny restaurant its liquor license. Owner pouts on Twitter.
UPDATE (Jan. 30, 2012): Kirkwood Bar & Grill’s liquor license application denied by Mayor
Remember David Johnson, the restaurateur who recently reopened Kirkwood Public House as Kirkwood Bar and Grill?
No? We’re not surprised. Let’s refresh your memory on some background:
- Johnson purchased the shuttered Kirkwood Public House.
- The neighborhood freaked out when they found out it would reopen as “VIP Sports Bar and Lounge,” as reported by the Atlanta Business Chronicle (ABC).
- Johnson blamed one the ABC’s longtime journalists for fabricating his new restaurant’s name.
- Johnson wised up and renamed it Kirkwood Bar and Grille before it opened.
But it gets better: the restaurant wasn’t ever called “VIP Sports Bar and Lounge” but that’s what it turned into, according to several Kirkwood associations. And the neighborhood is pissed. So much so that they’re trying to force the restaurant to close.
Many Kirkwood residents emailed What Now Atlanta after the Atlanta Licensing Review Board (LRB) voted Tuesday to re-approve the restaurant’s liquor license. Here’s a video of Tuesday’s meeting (starts at minute 1:06:15).
The LRB was forced into this vote after several Kirkwood community organizations rallied to approach them to deny Johnson’s application for his liquor license.
“Mr. Johnson completely misrepresented his business and is running a VIP style night club,” one What Now Atlanta reader said in an email Thursday. “He’s driven the neighbors crazy with alcohol promotions, live radio feeds, noise at all hours, drug busts and gun fire.”
The Kirkwood community has now appealed this decision to the Mayor’s office.
Meantime, Johnson shared some choice words about the neighborhood associations on his now protected Twitter account:
What Now Atlanta called Johnson for comment but he denied us an interview (even though he called us to say we couldn’t talk to him).
Total Johnson, right?
So, are Kirkwood residents racist or does Johnson need to read E-How’s, How to open a Bar and Grill? Tell us in the comments!
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