Stephen Rex Brown

Last week we reported on Nublu’s fight to stay open on Avenue C, despite the State Liquor Authority’s ruling to cancel the nightclub’s liquor license owing to its location less than 200 feet from a Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now owner Ilhan Ersahin, who is currently traveling, tells us over e-mail, “Our only way to return is to get beer and wine at this point. Our lawyer says it is impossible to get liquor back.” Meanwhile, the comments section of our original post continues to buzz with outrage over the club’s shuttering, though one person, T.M., did defend the move: “People like Ersahin, who laugh in the face of community standards, should just have their license revoked.” The rest of the comments, as you can see below, varied between between praising Nublu and chastising the SLA. Have a different opinion? Throw it into the Chatter Box.

Long live Nublu
“THE BEST AND MOST IMPORTANT CLUB/VENUE/ART-HOUSE EAST-VILLAGE AND NYC HAS SEEN IN YEARS.” — 24bandas

“Nublu is an important piece of the fabric of a neighborhood, an incubator for talent, and a friendly and inviting place. It’s a part of what makes New York special.” — Steve DeBro

“I live in the neighborhood and have been a regular visitor and great admirer of the high-quality live music performed at NuBlu.” — MG

“It adds immeasurably to the funky character of Alphabet City.” — TJ

“Nublu is one of the last bastions of real culture in NYC. People who make music for music sake, and people who come out to appreciate and participate in it.” — dfreeds

Down with the 200-foot law
“That law is the most stupid and the most ridiculous law there is . I can list 20 bars and restaurants in downtown Manhattan that is 200 feet closer to a church or a Mosque or any kinds of house of worship…” — E.

“Soon the new LES residents will be complaining about the newyorican cafe too a very important staple in our community for poets. Just like Nublu is for musicians.” — Fuego

“It is too bad that someone – someone not from the church, as they confirmed – may be allowed to hide behind ‘religion’ to get an artistically important institution like Nublu closed….” — Vana Gierig

“I 1000% agree I can list 20 places off the bat that are too close to a school or church, previously being there or not. This is just not fair.” — 123

“This has nothing to do with religion or the community of the said religion. It’s simply corruption. Someone is manipulating the situation and fitted Nublu with this kind of nonsense.” — 9

“Who needs ‘artistry’ or ‘culture’ when someone’s clearly superior sense of an imagined community requires a city that always sleeps?” — joro

Update | 10:31 a.m. Minutes after publication, this post was changed to include Mr. Ersahin’s quote, which had just come through over e-mail.