NIMBY Compares Historic Chumley's to a Brothel

The never-ending battle to reopen Chumley's in the West Village is still ongoing. After years of construction challenges, the latest front is in the courtroom where the beloved speakeasy's owners are being sued by some West Village NIMBYs who have been unsuccessfully trying to prevent the bar from re-opening for years.

NIMBY Thomas Kearney is leading the suit, and claims that if you allow Chumley's to reopen, you may as well go ahead and re-open all of the brothels that operated in the neighborhood during the 1920s. We're no legal eagles, but that argument seems like a bit of a stretch. It seems pretty obvious that this case will go away and owner Jim Miller will be able to reopen Chumley's sometime this year. Then there will be a lot of really cheap apartments available on the block, since the quality of life will have been destroyed.
· Prohibition-era Chumley's is More 'Brothel' Than Speakeasy, Says Neighbor [NYP]
· NIMBYs File Suit to Stop Chumley's From Reopening [~ENY~]
· Chumley's Coverage [~ENY~]