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Correction: Wildwood Considers Pushing Back Bar Closings 'til 4 AM

Arts and Entertainment | Wed, 06/09/2010 - 9:53 am | Updated 1 year 48 weeks ago | Read 7258 | Commented 23 | Emailed 6
Tags: Liquor License

By Joe Hart

CORRECTION: This story, first published online on June 9, stated the wrong date for the public hearing on the proposed ordinance to push back closing times for bars in Wildwood to 4 a.m. The story stated June 26, while the correct date is Wed., June 23. The hearing will be held in the commissioners meeting room on the second floor of Wildwood City Hall at 6:30 p.m.

WILDWOOD — At about 8 p.m. on Wed., June 9, commissioners here introduced a measure that would possibly push back the closing times for bars and clubs in this city from 3 to 4 a.m.

David Stefankiewicz, of the Wildwood Beverage Association, said that the change was needed to help local businesses find new revenue during these difficult economic times. He wrote a letter to commissioners representing the association and its request for a change in hours.

Stefankiewicz said that businesses on Pacific Avenue were particularly hard hit.

"Pacific Avenue is beyond stimulus and incentives," he said. "It needs shock therapy."

Stefankiewicz, a local lawyer who owns Goodnight Irene's at Poplar and Pacific avenues, said he's been on the once-vibrant street at different times and has seen no cars pass for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

He suggested taking a step forward by taking a (hour) step back.

"As you know, during Wildwood’s hey day, licensed establishments served alcohol until 5 a.m.," Stefankiewicz stated in his letter. "The nightlife was vibrant and it helped forge the City’s identity as a place to have fun. In fact, Wildwood lost its competitive edge with Lower Township and North Wildwood when it reduced the hours of operation at a time when both surrounding towns remained at 5 a.m."

This administration has shown it has an open mind with regard to liquor laws, Stefankiewicz noted, citing the recent addition in liquor licenses on the Boardwalk. "We just wanted to air it out," he said.

Commissioner Al Brannen, who is in charge of public safety, was against the idea, at least initially.

He said that residents near the bars would be subject to "yelling, screaming, cursing, animal houses and knocking over trashcans." That additional hour would be "nothing but trouble," he said.

"We're never going to become a family resort if we have our bars open at 4 a.m.," he added.

"There are some bars on Pacific Avenue with the clientele they have," Brannen said. "I wouldn’t care if they went out of business tomorrow."

Brannen suggested that bar owners try to think "outside the circle." Maybe trying to something in the afternoon like live music jam sessions, he said.

"People don’t like to drink during the day, they work during the day," Stefankiewicz countered.

Bars have been closing at 3 a.m. since 1997. Stefankiewicz said earlier closing times have actually caused some problems in certain situations.

"For example, instead of socializing at bars or clubs after work, boardwalk workers, many of whom are foreigners, return to their leased premises to drink and relax, which often disrupts neighbors," he said. "These activities had been historically confined to the licensed establishments, but have now moved to residential areas."

He also noted a mass exodus from the bars at around 2:45 a.m., which also causes problems.

In short, Stefankiewicz said the businesses were hurting and looking for help from the city.

"We are respectfully requesting that the City Administration consider expanding the hours of service to 4 a.m., with a closing time of 4:30 a.m. effective immediately," he said. "The City must do something to invigorate business in these challenging economic times. "

While Brannen still hedged, Mayor Gary DeMarzo said he thought "we need to attract business whatever way we can."

He said he didn't think it wasn't the extra hour was the problem.

"I think we should introduce the ordinance at first reading," he said. "Put it in the paper and let the public make comments at second reading."

Commissioner Ed Harshaw said he thinks the city should try it out this summer, get feedback from business owners, the police department and the public, then make a final decision in the fall.

Brannen suggested only offering the later hours a few nights a week "to at least give the residents a few nights of sleep."

In the end, the panel introduced the change on first reading. Second reading and public hearing on the measure will be at the June 26 commission meeting.

"We have utmost confidence that this Administration is aggressively attempting to follow through on its campaign pledges and to turn the City around," Stefankiewicz's letter stated. "We believe our request is a step in the right direction."

John Davis, owner of Club Luna, located at Garfield and Pacific, who also addressed commissioners, told the Herald that he was glad that the governing body took this first step. While he expects some residents might feel like Brannen and oppose the measure, he was confident that a majority of the public would understand that businesses on Pacific Avenue need all the help they can get.

"We're hoping this could be a shot in the arm for downtown clubs that've been hurting for a long time," he said.

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Comments (23)

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Thu, 06/17/2010 - 8:34pm - Posted by: k8heg

Location, location, location!! I live in Wildwood and would never go to the bars here. It doesn't matter if they are open 24 hours, they don't get customers because the area is not safe.

Thu, 06/17/2010 - 5:10pm - Posted by: sea4me

Proud…….Please don’t judge all whites or for that matter any race by the DUMB STATEMENTS of one…. You as a Proud Puerto Rican must know some Puerto Rican you are not very proud of!!!!

Thu, 06/17/2010 - 5:03pm - Posted by: sea4me

Dan spares me the drama…. Are you telling me that you, and every member of your family go to cook outs, christenings, 4th of July picnic, weddings, showers, Christmas parties, etc. and NEVER DRINK!!!!! Oh come on now, are you Amish or something??????? Get over yourself……

Thu, 06/17/2010 - 2:56pm - Posted by: Proud_Puerto_Rican

Daniel Carver is no a nice person. I watch a you say the things to be mean and they no a good things to say. I wish to that a bar for puerto rican in wildwood and no white people to be there for us to have very good times. White people are the bad ones and a racist and bad.

Thu, 06/17/2010 - 6:17am - Posted by: sea4me

I do not support keeping the bars open longer. I think Al could be on to something about the Jam sessions…. Instead of trying to get more money out of the patrons in your bars, why not try and build your business by attracting more patrons. I will never go downtown at 10pm (when the entertainment starts) I would however enjoy very much an afternoon jam session like Moore’s Inlet used to have….. Do this and I will come…..Start it about 3pm, keep the volume of the music low(Beach Boys, Beatles, Jimmy Buffet) , have a children’s menu, put in some pinball machines, shuffle board, have crayons and coloring books…. You will make more from the food and kids with a lot less trouble then the drunks for an hour longer at night…..

If the extra hour is passed, then it should include a lock down provision…After 2:30am no bar hopping….No one in after 2:30 and then I don’t care if they stay open until 7am as long as they are not running the streets. Another provision, entertainment ends at 2am….

I remember a time when I would be in the bars until the sun came up, they were the good old days…But the music was over and you had to stay in the bar that you landed in by the bewitching hour……… I also remember Moore’s jam sessions…… Both fun…..

Mon, 06/14/2010 - 12:52pm - Posted by: tmiller123

The family image didn't work for wildwood, now its time to get back to when people actually made some money in wildwood. Hopefully they can attract the people back who they have been chasing away for the past ten years. Here it comes, all of the new condos right back into rooming houses. The only difference is, they are a little nicer for now.

Sun, 06/13/2010 - 11:05pm - Posted by: PUNANY

I THINK SEA-BILLY BOB COULD USE A DRINK OR TWO .. OR THREE .. OR ......

Sat, 06/12/2010 - 2:46pm - Posted by: PUNANY

DID THEY REALLY CLOSE THE RED GARTER ?

Sat, 06/12/2010 - 2:42pm - Posted by: PUNANY

NEXT THING WE'LL HEAR IS THAT CRAZY BILLBEE IS BACK

Sat, 06/12/2010 - 2:40pm - Posted by: PUNANY

BILLY JACK AT 4 AM !! I'M IN HEAVEN

Fri, 06/11/2010 - 6:13am - Posted by: seabilly-bob

lets not forget that the moreys got permision to serve alcahol on the boardwalk in 2 places. HEY were a family resort>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>yeah right.we will see how much enforcment of these establishments WILL recieve.we have drunks all over this town and the bars arn't doing any buisness now so where are they getting it? vfw?. and trying to attracti familys while gang members are yelling M.F-er all night on the streets while drinking under age and getting high.clean up the streets and they will come.just go to romeo's pizza and tell them all about it.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 5:28pm - Posted by: Scorpion

No matter how you look at it the only people who will benefit from keeping the bars open is the bar owners. The Wildwoods seem to be catering more and more to the undesirables. Keeping the bars open later is going to put a greater strain on our police and rescue personnel. It is going to cause even more problems in the residential areas. There is nothing more disgusting than leaving for work in the morning and seeing vomit covered drunks lying on your front lawn. If I remember correctly, when the bars closed at 5 am you had to stay put by 3 am. The idea was to let the drunks trickle out over a 2 hour span so they weren't pouring out onto the street at the same time fighting and causing other problems in the area. This IS definitely 2 steps backwards.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 5:18pm - Posted by: TommyR

Bad idea! If Wildwood truly wants to improve it's image as a family resort, then it needs to move up the bar closing times. A few connected bar owners whine and the council jumps? Very shortsighted idea. Look at the big, long term picture.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 4:33pm - Posted by: seabilly-bob

many of the bar/restaurants on pacific ave have spent tens of thousands of dollars to upgrade both interior and exterior furnishings of thier buildings.to classify bars/restaraunts like the deck,luna,good night irenes and kahuna's as a dive shows the stupidity of the poster.I.As for al he stated that pacific ave is the "hub" of wildwood. realy al? He also stated that wildwood is a family resort. realy al? I think you should get out a beach chair and get of your rearend and go sit on pacific ave.If you see ONE cop in an hour i'll pay for your dinner! There are dregs walking up and down pacific ave,hookers and drug dealers.Since YOU are incharge of the police how about taking a page out of guiliani's book.he cleaned up 42nd street in new york with quaility of life law enforcement. there now I have DONE YOUR JOB AL.its not the bar/ restaurants that are the problem.Its ****** poor leadership and park your police cruiser in a vacant lot and check out facebook on your cellphone cops................

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 2:53pm - Posted by: Andrew4

Honestly, its a decent idea. Everyone on these posts complain constantly about wildwood. Why not allow them to bring in a little revenue before the good bars go under and pacific ave is a complete he!! hole. An hour later will allow some bars to attract people getting off work late. i.e. those who work at restaurants and the boardwalk. Additionally, bars can could then offer specials like a reverse happy hour and steal clientele from NW.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 1:07pm - Posted by: k8heg

Once you cross over Oak ave Pacific ave is no place to be at night. It will only get worse if the bars are open that late.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 11:09am - Posted by: margaritaville67

I thought Sandy owned Luna.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 11:08am - Posted by: marmoracat

heming1way-- Another thing to remember is that it's typically only 1 bar in each casino is open 24/7(at least in AC). They have security officers which can handle fights/rowdy patrons. Also keep in mind the size of the police departments in AC and Vegas- much better staffed than that of Wildwood. Keeping the bars open till 4am is just asking for trouble. This decision in no way would effect me, so my opinion is unbiased. Wildwood has been trying to clean up its reputation, but this is a step backwards for them and is just going to be a headache.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 10:40am - Posted by: margaritaville67

Some of these bars should be shut down for good not stay open later. Some of the illegal activity including drug use, gambling, hiring illegals, not paying taxes, paying under the table, fights outside the bars, etc are reasons NOT to cave to these businesses. I never met a law abiding drunk at 5am. These are not people going out at 3am to have a drink. They will be people who have been drinking since 8 or 9pm. Go figure, a lawyer trying to make another buck at anyone's expense. Have you seen some of the fights and trash coming out of there and other establishments on Pacific? Yes, let them drink alittle longer. I guess he needs more customers and after drinking soooooo long they will also be his clients.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 10:12am - Posted by: heming1way

I work til 2:30 am, so I think it's a great idea to push it back to 4. If it were up to me it could even go back to 5 or 24 hours a day like AC, Vegas and New Orleans. The time really doesn't matter as long as it is policed well. Back when Pacific Ave was hopping, there were hundreds if not thousands of people going in and out of clubs on the strip. Those were the good old days and I hope this baby step leads back to that.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 7:18am - Posted by: Coastal Living

All I can say is after reading this is thank God I don't live in Wildwood. They seriously need to shut down bars at 1am like most respectable resort places do. I can't imagine how many people drive after a night out until 5am. What is Wildwood going to do when it's downsized police need to control late night crowds? Rely on summer cops? Good Lord it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what kind of crowd will be drawn to Wildwood and it certainly won't be the "Family" atmosphere that you were once trying to project. DeMarzo said we need to attract business whatever way we can? REALLY? Whatever way? Good luck Wildwood citizens....you voted him in...that is a pathetic statement.

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 6:37am - Posted by: chevy girl

Maybe if Wildwood cleaned up a little they wouldn't have to keep the bars open

Thu, 06/10/2010 - 12:55am - Posted by: marmoracat

All the bars in that pacific ave area are dives, including Luna. I'd be scared to patronize these bars, I might get stabbed, shot at, or just assaulted(judging by the recent crime in Wildwood). I would much rather go to the bars in North Wildwood. 4am closing time wouldn't bring me down there either. If you are in the bar past 2am, you're already to the point that legally you shouldn't be served anymore. NJ law states that no establishment may serve an alcoholic beverage to a customer who is obviously intoxicated. If they want to do this, they need to hire more police officers. They're going to need them.




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