NIMBYs File Suit to Stop Chumley's From Reopening

Legendary West Village speakeasy/restaurant Chumley's was in business for 85 years before the collapse of its facade forced it to suddenly close in 2007. After almost seven years of painstaking work to get the approvals needed to restore the building, Chumley's owner Jim Miller is in the final stretch of having everything in order to reopen. Now, after years of work, a group of friendly neighbors has filed a lawsuit against the bar and the New York State Liquor Authority, arguing that there is no reason that Bedford Street needs to have a tavern in that location. The group hopes to get the decision of the SLA overturned.

This is just the final ploy of a group of over entitled NIMBYs calling themselves Bar Free Bedford that tried to stop Chumley's from getting its liquor license restored last year and failed. Now they're taking up more of the State's — and most importantly, Jim Miller's — time and money to fight a ridiculous lawsuit challenging the right of a business that operated in that location for over eight decades from reopening after all of these years of struggling to get back in business.

Yes there will be tourists and yes there will be noise, but if there is anything sacred left in the West Village, surely the reopening and another 85 years of Chumley's is it. If they have any respect, this so-called neighborhood association will actually put the neighborhood ahead of itself and let it go.
· West Villagers Want Legendary Speakeasy To Stay Closed [NYP]
· Chumley's Coverage [~ENY~]