Do Prospect and Crown Heights Need More Bars?

In the past year, a plethora of new bars have come to Prospect and Crown Heights.

Just on Washington Avenue we've seen the additions of such hot-spots as , and .

Plus, throughout the area, we now have several new restaurants that serve (or hope to serve) alcohol including , , and (in Crown Heights), and soon, , and .

Whether you’re hoping to attract even more restaurants or think our storefronts could use some variety, you’re invited to tonight’s meeting of Community Board 8’s Economic Development Committee, where the topic will be discussed.

Usually this committee focuses on specific requests for liquor licenses (and they will tonight, see list below). But tonight Atim Oton, the committee’s co-chairwoman (and owner of Calibar Imports) wants to take the broader view.

“As a community we really need to think of what types of business we want to attract,” she said at a Community Board 8 meeting Thursday.

“We are still missing a flower shop, we’re still missing a bookstore, there are other businesses we still need to attract to the community,” she added.

But tonight’s meeting is sure to include plenty of, um, vibrant discussion on the issue. In fact, the discussion already kicked off at the Community Board meeting 

“That’s progress,” said Bedford Avenue resident Roy Schneider at the meeting. When asked, Schneider was up front about his own desire to open a bar, but said that wasn’t the reason for his comment. Rather, he comes to the issue from a free-market stance.

“Maybe you don’t like the direction that progress is taking, (but) if there’s a need for a bookstore than there would be a bookstore there," he said, adding, “It’s like they’re trying to manage the economy."

Come to the meeting tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Center For Nursing and Rehabilitation, 727 Classon Ave.,  at Prospect Place to voice your point of view. Or, share it in the comments. 

Here's the full agenda:

A. Discussion of the following new liquor license applications: 

1. Bollywood Bar Corp., 676 Franklin Avenue (St. Marks/Prospect) 
2. Exquisite Inc., 710 Nostrand Avenue (corner of Prospect) 
3. Atlantic Cellars, 988 Atlantic Avenue (Grand/Classon) 

B. Discussion of the following renewal liquor license applications:

1. Amorina—Cucina Rustica, 624 Vanderbilt Avenue (Prospect/Park) 
2. Aliseo—Cucina Picena, 665 Vanderbilt Avenue (Dean/Bergen) 
3. New Heights of NY, 137 Schenectady Avenue (corner St. Marks) 
4. JG Hospitality Inc., 583 Vanderbilt Avenue (corner Dean) 
5. Aries Friends, Ltd., 629 Franklin Avenue (Dean/Bergen) 
6. Q’s Tavern, 761 Nostrand Avenue (St. John’s/Lincoln) 
7. Grand Avenue Café Corp., 417 Prospect Place (corner Grand) 
8. 751 Bergen Dely Inc., 751 Bergen Street (Washington/Grand) 
9. Restaurant Gen, 659 Washington Avenue (corner St. Marks) 
10. Brooklyn Exposure, 1401 Bedford Avenue (St. Marks/Prospect) 

C. Other Committee Business