[MarignyBywater] Hookah Cafe Likely to Close

[Gil Birman]

Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The State Department for Alcohol and Tobacco Control (ATC) is stepping up
enforcement of the non-smoking laws passed in 2007. As we are currently
zoned as a restaurant, this means that the only solution to our situation is
to request a zoning change via the City Council known as a Conditional-Use
License as a Cocktail Lounge. While the ATC is urging us to pursue this
change, the local neighborhood organization, known as the Faubourg Marigny
Improvement Association (FMIA) has vowed to oppose any attempt on our part
to do so.

Historically, the FMIA wields a lot of power in these matters as they claim
to represent the residents of the neighborhood. However, in this case we
believe that the FMIA decision-makers, a board comprised of only 5 FMIA
members, many who have held their positions of power for many years, do not
represent the wishes of the neighborhood. Furthermore, the Hookah Cafe has a
long history of working with and responding to all the concerns of the FMIA,
unlike many other businesses in the Marigny. In fact the FMIA has not
directed a single complaint at the Hookah Cafe since 2007. Yet despite this
positive history they still remain opposed as they do not want to set a
precedence that will enable other businesses to succeed with similar zoning
change requests.

Yet if this zoning change does not pass (and historically it will not go
through without the support of the FMIA) one of the neighborhood's most
upstanding businesses will have to shutter its doors. 26 employees will be
laid-off if Hookah Cafe is forced to close. The majority of these people are
fellow neighbors who live in the Marigny and Bywater and most of them say
they will be losing the best job they have ever held.  Furthermore, if the
worst nationwide recession in 70 years is not reason enough to put
precedence-setting fears aside, then the FMIA board has seriously skewed
priorities and must be challenged. Maintaining and supporting successful and
responsible small businesses that create well-paying jobs, put large amounts
of tax revenue into city, state, and federal coffers, and regularly donate
to local charities should be the number one concern of the FMIA in this
depressed economic time. Furthermore, these precedence-setting concerns are
unfounded as all zoning-change requests are determined on a case-by-case
basis.  It is time to let the FMIA know that opposing a thriving
neighborhood small business in a matter of economic life-or-death is wrong
and does not represent the will of the people, especially given the fresh
wounds of Katrina.

So please, if you live in our neighborhood, don't let the voice of a few
people drown out your own. Write to the FMIA Board and let them know how you
feel. Below is the contact info for all FMIA Board members. Many of us will
be attending the next board meeting which is being held tomorrow (Wednesday,
February 4th) at 7pm at 2119 Decatur St. If you have an opinion on the
matter we urge you to attend as well.  Change is not something to fear, but
to embrace.

*President*
Chris Costello
president at faubourgmarigny.org
ChrisC at faubourgmarigny.org

*Vice President*
Reg Medellin
vicepresident at faubourgmarigny.org
RegM at faubourgmarigny.org

*Treasurer*
Brian Frye
treasurer at faubourgmarigny.org
BrianF at faubourgmarigny.org

*Corresponding Secretary*
Ron Petty
secretary at faubourgmarigny.org
RonP at faubourgmarigny.org

*Recording Secretary*
Deborah Oppenheim
DeborahO at faubourgmarigny.org

*Past President*
Gene Cizek
GeneC at faubourgmarigny.org

Getchen Bomboy
GretchenB at faubourgmarigny.org

Eva Campos
EvaC at faubourgmarigny.org

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at gil at hookah-cafe.com

Sincerely,
Gil

-- 
Gil Birman, Proprietor
Hookah Cafe, LLC
500 Frenchmen St., NOLA
http://www.hookah-cafe.com
office: (504) 943-1102
restaurant: (504) 943-1101
fax: (504) 943-1773
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