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SLA Renewed Vin-Tich Liquor License Days Before Patrons Attacked Cops

By Carla Zanoni | November 28, 2011 7:26am | Updated on November 28, 2011 1:21pm
The State Liquor Authority authorized Inwood nightclub Vin-Tich's renewal liquor license four days before Community Board 12 was able to vote on the  application.
The State Liquor Authority authorized Inwood nightclub Vin-Tich's renewal liquor license four days before Community Board 12 was able to vote on the application.
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Twitter.com/Vin-Tich Lounge

INWOOD — The State Liquor Authority (SLA) approved a renewal liquor license application for a troubled Inwood nightclub two days before a pair of police officers were assaulted there while responding to a fight between patrons, according to the agency's website.

The SLA signed off Nov. 18 on another two-year license for Vin-Tich Lounge at 3950 10th Ave. despite vocal opposition from the community, and ample evidence from the police department that the place is a hotspot for fights and unruly behavior.

On Nov. 20, an after-hours melee ended with a partygoer spraying mace into a crowd, and someone throwing bottles at responding police officers — one of whom lost a tooth and the other suffered a mild concussion as a result.

And club owners were accused of selling alcohol a half-hour after the state-mandated official 4 a.m. closing time during a March 2011 incident, according to the SLA. They had been facing disciplinary action from the SLA last week. The SLA did not immediately return calls for comment about the status of the investigation or the decision to renew the license.

“For Those Who Think We R Close Down We Will Just B Renovating For 2-3 weeks Look At Our Liqour License 2013 baby,” read a Nov. 25 tweet from the club’s Twitter feed, which included a copy of the renewed license.

“Thank You God, Because of U We Reind [reigned] UNTOUCHABLE," the club Twitter feed continued.

Members of Community Board 12’s economic development committee had voted to recommend against the application during its November meeting after police warned against the renewal in early November.

According to the commanding officer of the 34th Precinct, the department was concerned with numerous assaults and disorderly conduct summonses given to patrons since the club opened in 2009 at 3950 Tenth Avenue.

The full board voted to recommend against the renewal during CB12’s general meeting on Nov. 22., but the SLA had already approved the two-year renewal.

Community boards and police serve an advisory role regarding liquor license applications. The SLA has the final word.

According to the SLA website the new license is effective Dec. 1, 2011 through Nov. 30, 2013, but a license image tweeted by Vin-Tich Lounge displays the dates as Nov. 18, 2011 through Nov. 30, 2013.

The exterior of Vin-Tich lounge at 3950 10th Ave.
The exterior of Vin-Tich lounge at 3950 10th Ave.
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Facebook/Vin-Tich Lounge

Vin-Tich is owned by William Segura, who also runs the steakhouse Tabaco y Ron several blocks north at 501 W. 214th St. and Tenth Avenue, a stretch Segura said he hoped to make "Inwood's Meatpacking District" in 2009.

This is not the first time a club or restaurant in Inwood and Washington Heights has received SLA approval for a renewal application before CB12 was given a chance to weigh in.

In June 2010, the Dyckman Street eatery and lounge Mamajuana Café received its license renewal weeks before CB12 voted on the measure.

In that case, SLA officials said CB12 failed to send its recommendation against renewing the license, because of quality of life complaints from local residents in a timely manner, causing the state agency to move ahead without it.