NORFOLK
Posh Dolche restaurant will soon join two other downtown nightclubs that were forced by city officials to shut their doors.
Despite an impassioned plea for a second chance, the City Council refused Tuesday to give the restaurant's owners an opportunity to clean up their business's image and reputation. The council voted 7-1 to strip Posh Dolche of its licenses to serve alcohol and provide entertainment.
Councilwoman Daun S. Hester dissented.
The council's vote comes three months after a similar decision in August to deny two Waterside nightclubs - Bar Norfolk and Have a Nice Day Cafe - licenses to operate. Both were later shut down by the city.
The revocation of the licenses means the restaurant almost certainly will close. But it appears Posh Dolche would have been forced to vacate anyway.
Deputy City Attorney Cynthia Hall, who heads the Bar Task Force, told the council on Tuesday that Posh Dolche has lost its lease.
Richard Boner, a Portsmouth resident who subleases the space to Posh Dolche, said building owner Bobby Wright informed him on Monday that the lease would be terminated. Boner and Posh Dolche's owners are scheduled to meet with Wright today.
Posh Dolche, at 257 Granby St., has been under scrutiny for numerous violations, including overcrowding and allowing third parties to rent out the venue, as well as for fire code infractions.
Patrons from the restaurant also were involved in three shootings downtown in the past two years in which a total of six people were wounded, Hall said.
The police determined that double shootings on Aug. 28, 2008, Dec. 18, 2008, and last Thursday were done by patrons of Posh Dolche.
The most recent shooting occurred in the Freemason Street Parking Garage. Hall said the shooter emerged from Posh Dolche with a concealed weapon. The restaurant has a capacity of 100, including 25 employees, she said.
"To have three double shootings emanate from an establishment that small is of great concern to city staff," Hall said.
Robert Fields, a Virginia Beach resident who heads the restaurant management group, said the shootings also concern him, but said he was at a loss as to how to stop them.
"It's senseless that people can't go somewhere and get along without violence and guns," he said.
"If you've got 100 people, you can't walk everyone to their car and say, 'You go home now.' "
Hall told the council that Posh Dolche's owners were given warnings 11 separate times over the past two years.
"Management is either unwilling or unable" to bring the restaurant into compliance, she said.
"To me, it's almost unbelievable that somebody could be warned this many times and not correct the problems," Councilwoman Theresa Whibley said.
Still, Fields implored the council for more time to prove they could turn things around.
"It's unfortunate that we've had these incidents," he said. "But I really want it to work. I hope we can have a second chance. We're willing to work with the city."
Councilman Paul R. Riddick said he knew Fields' father, who was also a restaurant operator.
"I was elated when we approved these gentlemen two years ago. I hoped they would give us a good establishment," he said. "But when people don't do what they're supposed to do, they have to suffer the consequences. It breaks my heart that you've come to the fate you have."
Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com
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Vote them out
I know for one I will not vote for any of the existing council members next election. The underhanded methods they use to create an atmosphere that most young adults most certainly would not like. It is a shame.
A bad mix
Is proprietorial irresponsibility combined with arrested development what you assume young adults find attractive?
SADLY FUNNY...
Great for Norfolk City Councel to fix problems like this. Virginia Beach City Counsel sucks for control of the city. Now you know why the Virginia Beach Oceanfront has so many problems. Clubs like this attract loser hoes/thugs and the VBOF is another example of this. Light rail will be a major problem for this type of entertainment. Let them stay in their own neighborhoods in Norfolk, P-Town, Hampton and Bad News.
Don't give up yet. Jack
Don't give up yet. Jack Quinn's is finally reopening...
ATTRACTIVE NUISANCE
A quick look at the Posh Dolche website http://www.poshdolche.com/ (before it goes down) will tell you more than you want to know. Thug Culture rules!
The photos of the action look like they were taken straight from a rap video: Homies holding champagne bottles in both hands, Mr. T Starter Sets everywhere, and even a cook with chin pubes throwing a gang sign at a kitchen utensil. Club owners deliberately attract the clientele which will make them the most money. When violence and disorder erupt, the owners fall back on the "we have no control..." excuse. They create the nuisance, profit from it, and then tell you it's not their fault. These guys broke the rules, got caught, and are now sooooooooooo sorry and they won't do it again. Just like every criminal standing before the Judge at sentencing.
Really???
First off, by you even referring to anyone in any photo as "homie" is borderline stereotyping. And since when did a picture of a guy holding up a champagne bottle distinguish him as being a thug. The cook you speak of was NOT holding up a gang sign; he was merely pointing at a utensil. None of the photos to me show anything remotely disturbing, as I see this activity in every bar/club on Granby Street. So, please, by all means, explain how you justify your claim?
Good Job Norfolk
Shut it down!!!!!!
Clientele.
The demographic of those congregating downtown on Granby St has drastically changed over the last 4 years. The clientele that gave it it's rejuvenation around 2002 has long gone along with Jack Quinns.
I hope they did not get a slice of pizza as I really enjoy a slice or two at Granby St Pizza.
Attention all law breakers
Do everyone a favor and the next time you decide to shoot or assault someone please make sure you don't do it in a mall parking lot, Applebees, TGIF, Golden Corral, 7-11, Starbucks or any other business establishments in the tidewater area. We, law abiding citizens, will have no where to eat or shop because city council will shut these establishments down because according to them it's their fault that a criminal decides to break the law after they left.
WRONG!!
All aspects of the license being stripped/losing lease are WRONG if a shooting in the garage is the only excuse that the city can come up with for shutting Posh down!! The same thing could happen in a grocery store parking lot - so would you close that down?? I honestly think the city does not want the crowd that Posh brings downtown because they're trying to uphold this "goody-goody" lifestyle. I'm not saying that Posh brings bad people, they bring african-american people, along with other races, and the city does not want that on "Granby Street". THAT'S WRONG!!! Face it city of Norfolk, it's not about the shooting!
What the city should be doing is put security or police officers in the parking garages instead of having an officer drive his car up to the top ramp and back down. This shooting incident could've happened from leaving any bar OR restaurant.
I have been to Posh and NEVER have had any trouble - just a good time. I think it's sad that this is occuring and more people should speak up.
Once again
Read the article. They are NOT being closed down because of any shooting. Safety code violations and taxes. They had been warned five times and did nothing about it.
If you want this place to stay opened go pitch in and help these owners get the place up to code and help him pay his debts!
It is easy to sit in front of a computer and cry and whine racism. Put forth a little bit of your efforts in helping these folks get it right.
I have to pay my taxes, I keep my home safe. These people cater to the public and the safty of these patrons should be first. If the place caught fire and you were there and were injured, I bet you would be the first to sue.
ONCE AGAIN
RACISM!! I'll scream it.
That's all it is! The city wants Granby Street to be some "hoity-toity" area but let's get real..it's NORFOLK. If the city wants to keep certain people from coming in then put a freakin' bubble around it.
A shooting can occur anywhere. If the people involved would've said they had just came from Starbucks do you honestly think it would've been shut down?? NO!!
One more time
Can noone get you to open your eyes. I was wrong, it was not 5 safety code warnings it was 11 (eleven).
Get away from your computer get a life and go help this establishment you care for so much get UP TO THE SAFETY CODE. Pay his taxes. Help make him legal. Stop the incessant whining and DO SOMETHING.
For Heaven sake. As long as you can "scream racism" that is a LOT easier than doing something for your cause isn't it?
Enough said!
Na Na Na Naaa. Na Na Na
Na Na Na Naaa. Na Na Na Naaa. Hey Hey Hey, Granby St. a lil' safer noowww.
Pilot should print these so-called violations (specific)
This gets back to the tactics involved and the same old game played as always. Want a business gone, go hit them up and site them for anything. Did anyone notice the hypocrisy of Bobby Wright there. Prior to the shooting when DCJS certified security guards and not Navy seal did security at Granby theater, Bobby Wright was as owner of GT for these same petty and trumped up violations and stated as much. This here downtown revitalization experiment is loosing momentum to such a degree that there is simply no helping it and in fact, The public is not given the real minutia of the situation.
Attention all thugs
Next time your busted in Norfolk for shooting at each other over whatever business of yours that went bad, say you just left Byrd & Baldwin Bros Steakhouse, Todd Jurichs Bistro, Trilogy, The Big EZ, Snappers, or whatever other nice establishments there are.
Is the Posh Dolche crowd really that bad? Can anyone comment on the clients? I seem to recall a positive article about it in the pilot. I've eaten there and it was fine, but it was when it first opened up and they served lunch.
ATTENTION ALL THUGS
Ethan -
I agree - I have been there also and LOVED it.
Next time something like this happens, the people involved should say they were at Todd Jurichs!! The city wouldn't dare shut this place down because half of the city members are there for Happy Hour daily!
Mr. Wizard
Mr. Wizard its alot of things you don't know. Wake up...They always put in the paper a one sided view and this view is from the City and nothing more. Its 2 sides to every story and you need to do your own homework if you want to know. I know the other half and the city of Norfolk is very corrupt. They close down what they want to close down but I can't tell you this at the end this will only hurt the city and their pockets. This has nothing to do with the people safety. They can lie and slander the owners of this bar is they want but this has nothing to do with someone pulling a gun and shooting people in a parking lot. No person or any business has control of that. For this to be a reason to shut the place down is crazy and I totally support Dawn Hester. I wish she was still Vice Mayor and not that clown Burfoot!
I see you're up with current events...
Riddick was the last Vice-Mayor and Burfort is a 1000% improvement.
Of course but there are also a few I do know
"This has nothing to do with the people safety."
Mr. Wizard believes if you break the law and don't pay business taxes, you lose your special exception. Simply, you're out of business. The laws are for safety's sake. The lack of safety is documented in this case.
Mr. Wizard appreciates and anticipates what isn't known. Sorry but your attempt to persuade me with your incoherent arguments is no good jayd69390.
Thanks for taking the time to try though.