Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Juliet Supperclub Was Never Allowed to Throw Parties, Records Show

By Mathew Katz | January 25, 2012 11:49am
Manuel Pinero at the Juliet Supperclub, taken from a site raising money for his legal defense.
Manuel Pinero at the Juliet Supperclub, taken from a site raising money for his legal defense.
View Full Caption
savemannystax.com

CHELSEA — The Juliet Supperclub hotspot, notorious for throwing DJ dance parties and two recent murders, was not licensed to promote parties or allow dancing, records show.

The club agreed in 2008 to "not use nightlife promoters or distribute flyers, and will operate according to the New York Nightlife Association’s Best Practices for Nightlife Establishments," according to Community Board 4 records.

Community board recommendations typically go on to become written stipulations in an establishment's liquor license.

The club also doesn't have the required license needed to host dance parties.

In September, the celebrity hotspot at 539 W. 21st St. was the scene of a fatal outdoor stabbing.  Two months later there was a deadly shooting in the club. Authorities have charged nightlife promoter Manuel Pinero, also known as "Manny Stax," in the September stabbing.

The shooting in November happened during the club's popular "Just Chill" Monday night party, which was run by "Cris A.C.," a self-identified New York City nightlife promoter. The Juliet canceled that party soon after the shooting.

The Juliet is currently closed for renovations and is fighting for its right to hold parties. Its landlord, Edison Properties, wants to evict the club, arguing that the hotspot fosters a dangerous and lawless environment.

Lawyers for The Juliet argue that it's not acting as a nightclub — largely because it has a full dinner menu. When the community board first approved the venue's liquor license in 2005, its original owners agreed that it would only operate as a restaurant.

The club also lacks a Cabaret License, meaning it's technically banned from having large groups of dancing revellers, according to the city's Department of Consumer Affairs.

In addition to the club's frequent use of promoters, there are other signs that it's a nightclub. Numerous nightlife websites identify The Juliet as a place to dance, and videos posted on YouTube show dozens of customers dancing to a DJ's beat.

The club also has a reputation for having a velvet rope with a bouncer who is "very selective and picky," according to ClubZone.com

Representatives for the club did not immediately return requests for comment.