Photos by Steven
Reporting by Stacie Joy
On Tuesday, the Department of Health temporarily closed EV old-timer Lucy's (aka Blanche's Lucy's Tavern) at 135 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.
According to DOH records: "Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations."
While Lucy's doesn't offer any dining options, the city requires training in food safety and basic handling procedures for bartenders or managers, such as sliced fruit for mixed drinks.
The bar was cited for a similar infraction in February 2022.
Longtime proprietor Ludwika "Lucy" Mickevicius told EVG's Stacie Joy that she thought her bookkeeper had paid the previous fine and had the proper paperwork on file.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
And there's another paperwork issue to manage: the bar's liquor license expired yesterday.
Lucy said she is asking the State Liquor Authority to help her find someone who speaks Polish to assist her with the confusing paperwork required to start the renewal process.
The bar may be closed for some time while all this gets straightened out.
Shit. I have to trust that this will all be straightened out soon. We need Lucy’s. We need to keep our little neighborhood alive.
ReplyDeleteThe landlord may have been waiting for this moment for years. I hope I am wrong but this might be the end of yet another small business.
ReplyDeleteThey really don't have anybody to blame but themselves. How does a bar forget to renew their liquor license, that's the most important thing.
ReplyDeleteAnother example of the City being helpful to small business again.
ReplyDeleteLiquor license is given by the state, not the city, and it's a privilege, not a birth right, that brings the holder a lot of money, and a ridiculous percentage profit. All you're asked is to renew the damn license once a year.
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