If you're a suburbanite being induced to come downtown to drink and eat, chances are your destination was heavily subsidized by Mayor Pawlowski. Take your pick, Allentown Brew Works, or Johnny Manana's, millions were given, including special city approved low cost liquor licenses. If you're a low income white, black or Hispanic, chances are you're a nuisance person drinking in a nuisance bar. On Friday the City of Allentown closed Trinkle's Cafe, 533 Turner St., because a shooting victim walked into the bar for help. There has been a taproom in that location ever since I can remember. My uncle lived in the 400 block many years ago. The current bar owner, Lauren Markowitcz, correctly states she is a victim of the neighborhood*; She is also a victim of the Administration. Rather than confront and deal with policies which continue to make Allentown a poverty and crime magnet, Pawlowski instead installs surveillance camera's, passes gun laws, and denies a livelihood to struggling business owner in a decaying neighborhood. Like the soup nazi in Seinfield, Pawlowski says no grant for Markowitcz.
* http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-b3_5trinkles.6617869oct06,0,4527803.story
Is Markowitcz going to fight the forced closing?
ReplyDeleteI couldn't believe what I was reading when the closing was announced.
When I went to CCHS (late 70s/early 80s) every kid knew where to get beer as a minor. Today that same place is still there, same owner (I believe) and it's the place to go for booze, drugs and everything else you may want.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't Trinkle's. I wish I could say it (and I'm sure all would agree) but I don't want to get myself sued. Suffice it to say that it's well known, and I don't see the city's efforts going in that direction. What a crock.
When I read about Trinkles and its growing problems I couldn't help but ask, where was the city? Why not reach out to this business owner and try to help her by sending a few cops around once in a while, on foot, to check on the place and the customers? It could have helped the owner in the long run and helped her protect her business from criminal clientele. But, sadly, the city waits until it can ring the death knell rather than being proactive and working to resuscitate the patient. (I was going to blog about this myself but you're quick on the draw.)
ReplyDeleteThis is not the solution to the problem. Getting rid of the bar will not help anything.
ReplyDeleteIt is not the bar that is the issue it is the culture and the poverty that pervades much of downtown.
The bars issues are really the communities' issues.
Will the message ever get through?
www.mapallentown.com
You got to be kidding me Molovinsky.
ReplyDeleteA) Millions were not given to the Brew Works or Mananas. Loans? Sure, but millions were not "given". You predicted the Brew Works would have defaulted on those loan by now but business is booming and they are paying.
B) You fail to mention that the person shot was just inside the bar and you fail to mention the people shot and stabbed inside the bar in recent months.
C) It is interesting you neglect to inform your readers that this bar is already operating under a temporary liquor license due to other LCB violations.
D) You sound like a crybaby coward always claiming everything is the administration's fault. Whaaa Whaaa. . . . I can't do better than big brother so I'll just run my mouth.
This lady should not hold a liquor license if she does not have the brains to institute a dress code or hire security personal who searched patrons after the first shooting.
dear anon 8:20, the whole bar is the size of a rowhouse livingroom, and you think they should have security personnel? and a dress code at 6th and linden? pawlowski will not let the ABW fail while mayor, but business is hardly booming. manana's hardly has any business. Trinkles' clientele reflects the neighborhood, the owners are not responsible for crime and poverty, but they do monitor behavior on their property. as far a me being a coward, perhaps i should post anonymously
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:20, Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Yeah, that's the ticket. A dress code.
ReplyDeleteDress Code: MM and Bernie, just like the interpretation by many of the Obama "Nazis", you're a bit clueless on the dress code. When's the last time YOU went drinking in an inner city bar? The dress code has to do with gang colors and apparel. And yes, get a security person in there. People obviously get stabbed/shot in a living room sized bar. Anon 8:20 is right and you're white.
ReplyDeleteBob Jr.-
ReplyDeleteSince I doubt the patrons are changing clothes inside the bar, wouldn't it be easier for the police to make arrests of gang members outside the bar who are wearing the offending colors?
Side issue: Joe Clark of Crocodile Rock has bounced LCB checks more times than you can count. That's a violation, but I don't see the City shutting him down. Take a peek at the police blotter for Croc Rock, it isn't spotless.
ReplyDeletePLCB shows Trinkle owner has bounced a few checks, and the violence has been on the news.
So what's the difference?
How many times has Joe Clark lunched with Ed Pawloski, or donated to his campaign? Bingo!
bob jr., actually i spend alot of time in that neighborhood, i have no knowledge of it being a gang hangout, unless you know that for a fact, please don't go off on that tangent. i will inquire and report back on this comment section.
ReplyDeleteanon cruz, joe clark doesn't hang with pawlowski, but he does run a pretty tight ship (croc rock) considering the size and entertainment venue. it's the most successful thing on hamilton street, much more so than the brew pub, and with no public tax dollar grants whatsoever. pawlowski can beat up a small tavern owner like trinkle's, and score some crime fighting allusions
ReplyDeleteAnon 7 am: Yes, let's arrest anyone wearing gang colors. I understand it's a first-degree misdemeanor.
ReplyDeleteMM: I love it when you deflect criticism by suggesting I'm off on a tangent. I wasn't saying the bar is a gang hangout, I was explaining what was meant by dress code. You ridiculed a very good suggestion because you thought dress code meant jacket and tie. ("a dress code at 6th and Linden?" ha ha ha).
It's quite apparent that common sense has fallen victim to your antipathy against the current administration.
I disagree that ABW is not doing any business. There are always tons of events happening there, like comedy night, yappy hour, the new film night. They do a great job marketing and have the clientele to show for it. Whether they got grants or loans fact is their business is a truly professional operation. You cant begrudge them their own hard work to make the place a success. look at mananas. Grants,loans, whatever, but with no personal hard work the place IS failing.
ReplyDeletethe intercity taproom is becoming a scarce commodity. between a propensity to be declared nuisance bars by a press conference happy administration, and the value of a liquor license, i know of several that have disappeared in recent years. the desire to recreate crosses all economic levels, and eventually "speakeasy's" develop when there is not enough legal venues. the unlicensed, illegal clubs have no supervision whatsoever. bob jr., i am a critic of the current administration, perhaps you should dwell on one of many puff blogs available.
ReplyDeleteThanks, MM, for straightening me out. I wasn't aware your blog was only for folks who agreed with you. I guess if I think differently than you I am puff material. But now that I'm informed, I will leave you alone while you rant to the choir.
ReplyDeletebob jr., i think i tolerate differences of opinion fairly well, i just don't appreciate describing my views as blind antipathy against the mayor. i have no animosity towards the man, and write about honest differences of opinion. I'm glad there are some people who feel allentown is moving forward, i'm just not one of them. thank you for reading this blog, and your comments are welcome.
ReplyDeleteMike,
ReplyDeleteI saw a report earlier on TMC's Web site that said Trinkles was working with the city to reopen.
Dear Bob Jr.
ReplyDeleteI think that Mr. Molovinsky does allow differing opinions. Just because you may disagree with him (or me) does not make him (or me) to be a bad guy. Nor does it make you awful. You have the right to your own opinions.
Since I have started following (and writing) blogs, I have been amazed by the lack of civil discourse. There is this sense that if a person writes an entry that immediately the other party is supposed to say "gosh, I should have had a V8."
I can be convinced by discussion, evidence, and reason. Emotions will also occaisionaly sway me to a particular point of view. But, when the argument is based on opinion, well I just have to think about it.
The blogs that are in the Valley -- and there are lots of them -- each have a theme and the authors have their views. I don't always agree with Mr. Molovinsky, but I do respect his attempts to put ideas out in the public.
Perhaps, Bob Jr., you might start your own blog? I'll be glad to read it.
Best regards,
Michael Donovan
Michael,
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong about this one.
Not you, the judges, the mayor, lawyers, nor anyone else would put up with this next to their home.trinkles owner claims that the "bad" neighborhood is the reason that her bar is besieged by criminals and violence.
trinkles bar is the primary cause of the drugs, thugs, drunks, and violence that appeared everpresent in our neighborhood.
Police responded 129 times to trinkles in the past six months. Police were never meant to be the security contingent for private businesses.
There are many properly run bars in Allentown that NEVER need to call for police OR ambulance assistance. trinkles needs to be charged for all overuse of city services.
During the week they were shut down there were ZERO calls to the entire area around 5th and Turner St.
For those not local to the area, you may be suprised to learn that in this low income area
most of the folks are good hard working people.
The pit that is trinkles has done untold damage to the lives (and property value)of the local residents. Generations of children have been "raised" in the shadow of this den of iniquity.
Shut down this travesty now.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteanother point.
If you do come through this area frequently, you would KNOW that trinkles services gangs.
They allow highly intoxicated individuals to exit their establishment onto the street in front of the homes of many tax paying citizens.
This pit has been trashing my neighborhood for many, many years.
It needs to be gone.
I repeat that if this travesty were situated next to your house the content of your blog would be very different.
Mr Molovinsky, I have agreed with you many times at council meetings, and voted for you when you ran for mayor. I generally agree with you're politics, but you are off on this one.
Run a safe, legal establishment and be welcome in the neighborhood. This has not been the case at the dive called trinkles for many years.
Local inhabitants should have the right to a safe, peaceful existence.
It is NOT the responsibility of taxpayers to foot the bill for trinkles security needs.
anon 12:06, would you please call me, i would appreciate verifying your POV
ReplyDelete