Former Inwood Restaurant Operating as Illegal Club, Police Say

Former Inwood Restaurant Operating as Illegal Club, Police Say

June 27, 2011 7:04am   Updated June 27, 2011 7:15am2commentsshareprint

Police said a former restaurant at 65 Sherman Avenue is throwing parties and charging $80 for a bottle of booze.

By Carla Zanoni

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

INWOOD — A former Inwood restaurant that closed down last year has been operating as an "illegal bottle club" that sells $80 bottles of alcohol and plays music for partygoers to dance into the early morning hours, police say.

The space at 65 Sherman Avenue that formerly housed the Arauaco Restaurant & Bar had its red velvet curtains drawn and a "closed" sign was placed in the window, on a recent visit by DNAinfo.

But a row of posters were propped up inside the windows beside the entrance advertising Friday and Saturday night parties where cases of beer go for $35 before midnight and $80 bottles of liquor are sold with hookah table service. There were no dates on the posters, but they appeared to be new and unfaded by the sun.

"It looks like the establishment is operating without a license," an NYPD officer from the 34th Precinct told a Community Board 12 economic development committee meeting on June 7, after describing spotting rows of beer and liquor inside the establishment and signs of active parties.

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20110627/washington-heights-inwood/former-inwood-restaurant-operating-as-illegal-bottle-club-police-say?utm_content=blackcotton212%40gmail.com&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=Former%20Inwood%20Restaurant%20Operating%20as%20Illegal%20Bottle%2E%2E%2E&utm_campaign=Locals%20Want%20Renewed%20Police%20Crackdown%20on%20Empire%20State%20Building%20Ticket%20Hawkerscontent#ixzz1QVetz0zT