LITTLE ITALY — A tiny coffee shop on Broome Street is primed to get a beer and wine license, despite neighbors' protests.
Happy Bones, a storefront at 394 Broome St. with three small tables indoors and an outdoor bench, won over Community Board 2's liquor license committee after tough questions and criticism from local residents about their hours, operations, and that outdoor bench.
"This is a tiny, tiny coffee place," said Lora Tenenbaum, who came to the meeting to oppose the application for a tavern license. "This isn't the right venue for a tavern license."
Tenenbaum and another meeting attendee highlighted the fact that coffee shops all over the neighborhood are applying for licenses to serve wine and beer, with applicants increasingly citing the high cost of rent to justify their need for the license.
"If it is the real estate rents that is the problem, maybe the community board needs to focus on that," the other woman said.
Jason Woodside, one of the cafe's owners, represented his business at the meeting, fielded questions from board members and apologized for the bench that has sat outside his coffee shop since he opened a year and a half ago, which board members said was likely illegal.
"We were informed that it didn't exceed a certain size so it was legal," Woodside explained. "But I'll have to inquire about that because obviously I don't want to break the rules."
The coffee shop's hours will remain the same, opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 7 p.m.
Tenenbaum and another community member asked what time the coffee shop would be allowed to start selling beer and wine, but committee co-chair Carter Booth explained that limiting hours of service wasn't something the board could do.
"Presumably, people won't be ordering beer at 7 a.m.," Booth said.
"I’ve seen Kate Moss drinking at 8 a.m.!" an opponent to the license shouted.
"OK," Booth replied. "Well, I think that’s an outlier event, so…"
The committee voted to support the application to the State Liquor Authority unanimously in their executive session, though one member, Josh Frost, nearly voted against it out of concern that it would prompt a flurry of applications from all of the neighborhood coffee shops.
"Because then, like, Gimme Coffee needs a license," Frost said. "The bagel place next door is going to want a license."
Happy Bones' application will be voted on by the full board at their meeting next Thursday.
