Those wanting a cup of brew this weekend in Allentown's 19th Street Theater District were out of luck. Seems that Hava Java thought they could just close for a few hours and do some maintenance without a permit, not in Pawlowski's cash strapped, power hungry code regulated Allentown. Those familiar with the Theater District know the only constant over the years have been the theater and the coffee shop. Those familiar with the coffee shop, know they prepare no food there whatsoever, beside making coffee, there are no public safety issues. A lost weekend for a small business owner wanting to improve his space. $1.5 million of public money scheduled to be spent promoting the street. An administration short on common sense.
UPDATE: The Stop Work Order was NOT responsible for keeping the coffee shop closed. see elaboration in comment section.
This is insane. In Nazareth, it costs $719 in permit fees for a nonprofit to install a handicapped bathroom. Here, this guy was actually shut down over what appears to be a minor matter. because it happened on a friday, this guy lost his weekend business, which is probably the only chance he has to make any money.
ReplyDeleteWTF!!
ReplyDeleteThis is great coffee shop, but profits must be marginal at best.
Sweet move Queen City. Lets drive another business out of town.
How many weeks will they need to wait for permits?
Tell me again why someone would open a business here?
What kind of business climate have we created?
The only reason O'hare knows anything about H'cap bathrooms is he requested one with a stall big enough to get his fat head into.
ReplyDeleteThe Rogue Blogger of Bally!
Hava Java has changed hands and is now owned by Rooster’s Coffee Shoppe in Dorneyville. The one at the Holiday Inn Express across from DP There are other ways they could have dealt with this on a more discreet personal level.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myspace.com/hava_java
Rooster's... We just bought another shop in Allentown called Anylise’s Hava Java.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=142972781
I'll bet, there is a guy filled with regret!
And we pay how many $'s to who in order to attract area business to Allentown. Let's hope the TC Salon Spa doesn't get the same kind of welcome!
FYI:
ReplyDeleteJeremy Nagy 34 years old. Emmaus. Graphic Design Consultant and Professional
• owner at Rooster's Coffee Shoppe
• owner at Empyre Transport Company
http://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremynagy
I am currently running two coffee shops for my family and looking for employment elsewhere in order make more money.
http://www.myspace.com/jeremy_nagy
Where is the Allentown Economic Development Director in all this mess? Perhaps she's making sure the 19th Street sidewalks meet her likeing, al a her Emmaus facist-like farce.
ReplyDeleteThis article clearly is not based on fact.
ReplyDeleteHava Java closed over Labor Day weekend (Saturday) on their own to replace make some upgrades . Early during they found out a permit was needed for some of this work.
As much as the Molovinsky's of the world would love to see 19th fail so they can cheer "yes, another failure" it is simply not happening.
Anonymous said... This article clearly is not based on fact.
ReplyDeleteA picture is worth a 1,000 words. I don't know for absolute fact. But it appears certain that the posting of that notice clearly indicates this was not VOLUNTARY. So I question your your comment.
(click on pix to enlarge)
The stop work order was issued after the place closed to do work, seems pretty simple.
ReplyDeleteA stop work order does not require an establishment to close, only to stop work.
my impression was the place was torn apart, and the stop work order was issued before they had an opportunity to put it back together, effectively closing them. if that's the case, they would have to wait till today to secure permits and continue the work. in the window was a piece of wainscoting, with a sign indicating replacing this piece was all they were attempting to do. i will see if their open today, and make another comment.
ReplyDeleteThey have been closed for over a week.
ReplyDeleteanon 1:11, is correct. they have been closed for about a week, and the stop work order has not been a factor in their being closed. although they are only doing some minor changes, the owner had some personal/personnel issues. only one of the changes required a permit by code, barely. he's replacing about one foot of drywall at the end of a wall. this opinion and assertion about a permit not being appropriate is mine, not the owners.
ReplyDeleteI consider this place to be the only real coffee shop in Allentown. It's ridiculous to issue a stop work order when you're doing something minor, like putting in a piece of drywall. I hope they come through this OK.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteUPDATE: On Queen City Blog
ReplyDeleteHava Java a havin' problems
http://blogs.mcall.com/allentown/2008/09/hava-java-a-hav.html