The Chief of Police has ordered an emergency temporary shutdown of the H Street Martini Lounge following an incident on Tuesday in which two firefighters received minor stab injuries during a scuffle. Owner Cliff Humphries (who is a DC firefighter) called the shutdown an over reaction.
NBC4 also reports
31 comments:
All of these articles are kinda confusing. Were these off-duty firefighters INVOLVED a fight, or were they bystanders? Was the perpetrator also a firefighter, or just some thug? From what I know of that place, they don't attract a wild crowd at all and this seems out of character.
I don't know what this "other trouble" might be, other than I remember hearing about an arrest outside there for a fight a couple months ago, but I didn't think it had been conclusively shown that the parties involved were patrons of the Martini Lounge.
Not out of character at all. I was in the Pug one Saturday, and the guys there were talkin about the fight that happened the previous night from the Martini Lounge. People spilled out, one dude had his head cracked open and was in a coma with no brain activity.
Regardless of any of that, when people start getting stabbed in or around your bar, there's something wrong. Has that happened in any other establishment on H? If your answer is no, then don't ya need to ask why at the ML? Besides, they aren't shutting it down forever, just a few days. So don't worry, folks will be able to go back in, drink, stab, shoot, fight, crack skulls in no time.
Glad its a short closing. I need to get in there and do some stabby stabby!
Totally different from my experiences at H Street Martini Lounge. I was able to get good service there even with a decent-sized crowd, and everyone seemed to be too focused on their drinks and conversation to engage in any violence. Hope they re-open soon.
Anonymous 9:35 -- since there's just absolutely completely utterly no way that someone was *killed* (for that's exactly what you're saying -- brain dead = dead) at a fight in the Martini Lounge without any press coverage whatsoever, can you point me to a link at the Post or elsewhere covering the event you describe?
Thanks in advance.
Anon 10:13. Are you kidding? No one was "killed" at the martini lounge and no one said anyone was killed at the martini lounge. That's exactly how rumors start. Very bad of you.
Someone was beaten so badily that they were in the hospital with serious head injuries. News is only covered if it's 1. sensational or 2. close in proximity. In short, people get an ass whoopin all the time and end up in the hospital. News agencies don't cover that crap.
It was a bar fight. Ask yourself, how many bar fights have you heard about in the news this year in DC. So far, 1, right? Now ask yourself, how many do you think actually happened where someone went to the hospital? Probably more than 1. Drinks+stuipd people+bar+guy stepping on girlfriends foot=bar fight. Hell I was in a bar at lunch time, down town DC, middle of the week, and some drunk idiots from NYC came in and started shoving themselves into tables, knocking their heads around on the floor. Oh and you can substitute just about anything for the last step there and still get to bar fight, like 'guy stares at girlfriend', 'guy bumps me', 'guy says redskins suck'..list goes on.
This so crazy.......I live in the neighborhood,and visit ML often.My experiences have been pleasurable.I hope that they re-open soon.
"folks will be able to go back in, drink, stab, shoot, fight, crack skulls"... Really?! substitute "firefighter" for "folks", because it wasn't a group of plain old "folks" who got in a fight.
Firefighters who pulled knives were the problem. Public servants who forgot all their training, duties, and responsibilities. Guys you would normally expect to give you little to no problem, who were in a business owned by another firefighter. Chief Lanier should be having a sit down with Chief Rubin about the issues in his crews, not shutting down the Lounge.
The city is really lucky that this happened in a private establishment, and not on a public street or in a firehouse, where there would have to be a full, public investigation, and accountability for the firefighters who were dumb enough to attack coworkers with a knife.
- this can happen anywhere. as long as there is more than 1 person in an establishment anything can happen.
A bunch of men being together is never good, black or white.. Some people can't hold their liquor and that starts fights and arguments. The solution: Stay your butts at home and drink alone that way you won't get STABBED!
Anon 11:25--
That was actually the point of my initial post.
Though some may not say it, I think there's a world of difference in terms of how "dangerous" the ML is based on the fact that this was a fight between firefighters who knew each other, and not just a bunch of random patrons fighting it out in a bar that typically invites trouble.
This could/would have happened anywhere had those firefighters gone elsewhere, it doesn't speak to that bar being a site of common violence.
--9:20
- 9:20
Considering that multiple fights have been at this establishment and that in this case, those involved used a deadly weapon and they worked with the owner of the bar as city employees suggests that your argument that "this can happen anywhere" doesn't hold water. Those involved were there because they worked with the owner. As we've seen from the DC Taxes post about the Argonaut, everyone who works for dc is TRIFLIN. Therefore, we can state that since the ML was owned by a city employee (TRIFLIN), whose co-workers (TRIFLIN) carried knives and attacked other pepole, and the bar was then policed by cops (TRIFLIN), which was then shut down by a city department (TRIIIIIFLIN), whose sister department shut down a successful business (TRIAAAFLLIIN), we come to the conclusion that if you work for the city of DC, please get the hell away from me and I'll never go anywhere near you.
Done. Meet you at the Pug!
umm right, because u never see off-duty cops and firefighters at the Pug (rolls eyes)
Anon 11am -- You're being incredibly dense. I'm not trying to start a rumor, but to quash one.
Your post is very interesting, but misrepresents what Anon 9:35 said. Anon 9:35 did not say "Someone was beaten so badly that they were in the hospital with serious head injuries," as you put it. Anon 9:35 said "one dude had his head cracked open and was in a coma with no brain activity." "No brain activity" goes well beyond "serious head injuries" -- a flat-line EEG, the indicator of lack of brain activity, is the key indicator of brain death. Yes, we *would* hear about something like *that* happening at the Martini Lounge; and we didn't. So I call bullshit unless Anon 9:35 can back up his/her statement with some evidence.
I think shutting down the Lounge is a gross over-reaction to an isolated minor incident.
I've been going to the Lounge since it opened. I also patronize most of the other restaurants and bars on H St NE. I come to H St from Virginia and feel extremely safe, comfortable, and welcome at Cliff's establishment as well as the other businesses in the corridor. The MPD has done a great job patrolling the area, both on foot as well in cars. I feel safe walking on the street and parking in the area. I have never felt there was ever any threat of danger either inside or outside the Lounge or any of the other businesses in the block. The Lounge is a clean, safe, family-run establishment and I think closing it, even for a few days, will do great harm to the Lounge as well as the entire H St corridor. Guns were not involved as is generally the case in other sections of DC. The mere fact that an establishment on H St was shut down sends a message to everyone in the DC area that H St is not a safe place to go for food, beverages, or entertainment. Please put this in perspective and I hope the Lounge opens as soon as possible.
Anon 10:13 - You're an idiot dude, seriously. A fight happens, someone gets hit on the head, gets taken to the hospital. Why is that so hard for you to get that it wouldn't be reported? Cracked open doesn't mean brains was gushing out. It means they got hit in the head. No, I wasn't at the hopsital to see the flat line of his brain scan, simply what I heard.
However, it's irrelevant for the discussion. There was a fight at the ML, someone went to the hospital. The end. Get over it. Here, to make you feel all warm inside, we'll remove the part about brain dead. Does it matter????? Someone still got their ass kicked from the ML. I guess it only counts if they were dead...
Its really hard to talk to stupid people in life...
Bar fight that leads to coma would absolutely get media coverage.
I call bullshit.
Oh for heaven's sakes. Anonymous 3:17, if you honestly can't see the practical difference between a claim in a public forum like this one that someone was injured in a fight at the Martini Lounge, and a claim in the same forum that someone was put into a coma with a flat-line EKG, if you can't see why the difference between those two claims when made in a public forum matters, then I can't imagine that anyone else here can help you.
owning a small business is difficult and owning a bar is even more so. first of all regarding the fight with the head injury. i was in front of the pug and saw most of it. the "participants" were patrons of the martini lounge, and some guys outside, not patrons, who accosted them as the left the lounge. holding the martini lounge responsible for that is like penalizing the unsafeway if you are mugged as you leave. as to the fella with the head injuries, rumors abound, but this is what i can tell you, he had several chances to walk away but continued to fight. it does not make the extent of his injuries, whatever they were ok, but sometimes you can't rescue people from their own stupidity.
the city, and probalby most of the states make it very difficult to own and run a bar. the laws are numerous and often confusing. for instance, you can not order by law in dc more than two drinks at a time. also, it is illegal to drink in dc with out a gov't form of id (please remember that next time you roll your eyes at the door guy.) often times bar owners and staff are responsible for things and blamed for things beyond their control or when the blame could easily be elsewhere. drunkeness and bar fights will sadly, occasionally happen and it's easy to spread blame and it is sometimes arbitrary how the city responds to these incidents. often times, agencies are unaware of each others actions and responses.
the taxes are another fun thing in dc, i've had two checks lost, and once was told that i hadn't paid for a tax period when i was holding the stamped received check in my hands. there are definitely areas where dc could be more pro business, but at the end of the day, you just deal with it. nobody, anywhere in the country wakes up a says, "man i can't wait to go to the dmv today" and dealing with any municipal agency is going to be a pretty similar affair. i love living and owning a business in the district, i love what the residents and business owners on h street are doing, and i am proud to have the martini lounge and the argonaut as neighbors. when they reopen, stop in for a drink to help them make up for the lost days and then stop by the pug for a whisky.
tonyt
anon @ 4pm
often times bar owners and staff are responsible for things and blamed for things beyond their control or when the blame could easily be elsewhere. drunkeness and bar fights will sadly, occasionally happen and it's easy to spread blame and it is sometimes arbitrary how the city responds to these incidents.
I agree that bars have little control of what happens beyond their establishment, but that's why ABC and the community/local ANCs often take such active interest in these establishments and require voluntary agreements from the owners to comply with some reasonable restrictions (hours, entertainment, responsiveness to security incidents, etc).
If I live around the corner from Fragers, I don't have to deal with their employees or patrons pissing on my front steps at any hour of the day. If an afterhours nightclub opens next door to Fragers I do have to deal with this.
if you are attacked as you leave fragers, it is not frager's responsibility.
tonyt
the pug
There's been a lot of bad crime news in recent weeks. I think it is prudent to shut down the establishment for a few days to allow things to cool off. Got no problem with that. We also don't know all the details.
That said, one incident does NOT make ML a bad establishment, by any means. My impression is quite the opposite.
One incident is random. Two or three would start to make a trend.
I decided to stop going there about six months ago after a terrible visit. The waitress took forever for drinks, and forgot our food order. No big deal i guess, but no reason to go back.
I don't wish them ill, but not my kind of bar due to the terrible service.
Trinidad Resident
"If I live around the corner from Fragers, I don't have to deal with their employees or patrons pissing on my front steps at any hour of the day. If an afterhours nightclub opens next door to Fragers I do have to deal with this."
After what hours? 2nd, I would argue Frager's from a public safety standpoint is more dangerous than 99% of clubs in the District. Have you seen the traffic shenanigans it creates on a busy saturday and the number of near crashes due to double parking, loading in the street etc?
I'm not knocking Frager's just putting things in perspective. I'd actually welcome a place for the drinking class in our neighborhood to have an establishment with a bathroom to doing their drinking as opposed to my alley.
@tonyt
Fragers isn't open til 3am nor does it offer liquor or late night entertainment. I'll take my chances with Fragers.
LEAVE FRAGER'S ALONE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHmvkRoEowc
If an afterhours nightclub opens next door to Fragers I do have to deal with this.
It is illegal to operate an establishment serving liquor outside of the prescribed hours. An "afterhours" anything is therefore illegal.
Call the cops and they will be shut down.
The purpose of voluntary agreements negotiated with communities is to establish limitations on hours and business practices beyond the DC laws, and they can be more restrictive.
If the ANC alcoholic beverage committee negotiates such agreements in good faith on behalf of the community, it's possible to have good entertainment venues while still protecting the neighborhood.
If liquor stores, restaurants, and bars violate them, it's easier to protest and possibly yank their licenses.
If a community doesn't want a place open until 3 AM, put that into a voluntary agreement, but don't just rule out a new restaurant's liquor license.
<"If an afterhours nightclub opens next door to Fragers I do have to deal with this.">
It is illegal to operate an establishment serving liquor outside of the prescribed hours. An "afterhours" anything is therefore illegal.
Call the cops and they will be shut down.
The purpose of voluntary agreements negotiated with communities is to establish limitations on hours and business practices beyond the DC laws, and they can be more restrictive.
If the ANC alcoholic beverage committee negotiates such agreements in good faith on behalf of the community, it's possible to have good entertainment venues while still protecting the neighborhood.
If liquor stores, restaurants, and bars violate them, it's easier to protest and possibly yank their licenses.
If a community doesn't want a place open until 3 AM, put that into a voluntary agreement, but don't just rule out a new restaurant's liquor license.
@anon 3:56 PM
By "afterhours" I just meant community standard. If everything closes at 3am and no one objects to the VA, then yeah -- there's nothing wrong with that. If I want to open a bar in my english basement, there's gonna be an issue with the community, and an even bigger one if I want to stay open til 3am.
Entertainment venues should be located in commercial districts conducive to such venues.
Agreed on the VA, but if an establishment refuses to negotiate a good faith reasonable VA with its neighbors (ie end around to ABRA) there's the community can't do much other than protest the license if the ANC is on board.
It's harder to yank those licenses than you suggest. It usually takes serious incidents to get action (ie Heart and Soul on 8th St or Phish Cafe on H St), not quality of life nuissances like noise, parking, etc.
I have a serious issue with these so called "voluntary agreements". There is nothing voluntary about what bars and clubs have to do in DC to open.
Also, in response to people wanting bars to open in commercial districts. H street is historically a commercial district and secondly, this is why DC is the only city in the east that doesnt have the "neighborhood corner bar"
ANCs have WAY too much power over the small businesses like bars and clubs that try to open and too LITTLE power over major developers.
"If I live around the corner from Fragers, I don't have to deal with their employees or patrons pissing on my front steps at any hour of the day. If an afterhours nightclub opens next door to Fragers I do have to deal with this."
The obvious solution to this problem is public restrooms for those who need to execute a normal bodily function. DC used to have them but not any more. Other major metropolitan areas have them as well. The lack of facilities forces people into urinating and defacating in alleys and on the side of people's houses. It's shameful for them, perpetuates a friction between them and homeowners and it's a public health danger. Cmon DC..step up and do the right thing. Rite Aid and Subway arent going to provide public facilities to people..nor should they be expected to do so. I hope my post starts a real discussion about this because the public urination is a problem that is long overdue in terms of being addressed. As someone who lives along an alley, I know what I'm talking about. Any other suggestions out there? Im really curious to hear others' thoughts on how to respectfully remedy this situation that has gone on too long.
@DCJaded
Also, in response to people wanting bars to open in commercial districts. H street is historically a commercial district and secondly, this is why DC is the only city in the east that doesnt have the "neighborhood corner bar"
H St. is an appropriate venue. Some proprieters seek VAs with entertainment endorsements and late hours in commercial properties in largely residential areas. Imagine if your corner dry cleaner decided to open a club with late night events til 2-3am any day of the week. The VA endorsement for a typical neighborhood bar is less an issue than a club. There aren't a lot of hurdles to the former, but there are (and should be) very high hurdles to the latter.
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