Howling at Blue Moon
Liquor agents are back at Blue Moon Tavern. On Wednesday I wrote about how ever since the University Park dive bar refused to sign the city’s “Good Neighbor” agreement, Blue Moon has had a streak of bad luck applications for permits denied, drug deals staged by undercover agents outside, and a visit from the city’s Joint Assessment Team last Friday. Blue Moon Landing
Owner Gus Hellthaler reports last night saw a return of one of the same liquor agents who dropped by to deliver written warning for last week’s grievous offenses: No posted sign about the bar’s occupancy limits and the alleged appearance of a man who was obviously drunk you know, because he was dancing. (In addition, Hellthaler says his bar is old enough that it’s exempt from rules about posting occupancy limits.)
“He told me he hadn’t thought of writing me up,” says Hellthaler, “but two calls were placed and his supervisor made it clear to him that he needed to write up the warnings.”
A wild guess: The city wants to document every offense due entirely to the fact that it’s facing off with Hellthaler in front of an administrative law judge over the Good Neighbor agreement. Yes, the Blue Moon seems to have earned special treatment.
During his Thursday evening visit, the liquor agent noticed one of the band members on stage drinking a beer. For this flagrant crime Hellthaler received another written warning.
“This is part of a pattern of harassment,” he says. “They’re doing everything they can to bring misery to the Blue Moon.”