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Read the press release here.

Inwood Lounge Has Liquor License Revoked After Years of Complaints

By Lindsay Armstrong | September 10, 2014 4:38pm
 The SLA declined to renew the liquor license for Novvo restaurant and lounge, formerly Hashi Sushi.
The SLA declined to renew the liquor license for Novvo restaurant and lounge, formerly Hashi Sushi.
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DNAinfo/Lindsay Armstrong

INWOOD — An uptown bar and lounge that recently reopened under a new name had its liquor license revoked on Tuesday by the State Liquor Authority after facing charges of serving underage drinkers and getting complaints from residents.

Hashi Sushi, which relaunched earlier this month as NoVvo Restaurant and Lounge, went before the SLA Tuesday for a hearing to determine whether to renew its liquor license. NoVvo has been operating under a special extension of Hashi’s license, which expired at the end of March. 

The SLA declined to renew Hashi’s license, citing concerns from a sergeant with the 34th Precinct and a member of Inwood Owner’s Coalition who both attended the hearing, as well as a letter from Community Board 12 strongly objecting to the renewal.

NoVvo
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The 34th Precinct sergeant noted at the hearing that there have been six separate incidents of alcohol sales to minors in the past year at the establishment. He also noted that the venue regularly disregards occupancy levels and operating hours and has been the site of several fights.

The NYPD closed the venue Thursday due its accumulation of recent violations, including a new instance of underage drinking and operating an illegal sidewalk cafe.

Residents have long complained about noise levels, rowdy crowds and valet parking at the lounge.

Hashi was temporarily closed twice in the past; once for failure to pay $180,000 in taxes, and a second time for failure to secure worker’s compensation insurance. The second closure came only days after the restaurant reopened as NoVvo.

“There is nothing here to give us any reason to believe that this place would operate in a way that won’t endanger or significantly inconvenience the community,” SLA chairman Dennis Rosen said when announcing the SLA’s decision to immediately revoke the license.

NoVvo did open for business after the SLA's decision, but officers from the 34th Precinct visited the lounge on Thursday night with an order to close the venue for 30 days. A police source said that NoVvo may reopen as a restaurant after the 30 days, but will still be prohibited from serving alcohol.

Hashi's owner, Liliana Rodriguez, could not be reached for comment.