Bruno's Tavern

Bruno’s violates requirement to convert old bar at 7601 Maple Street into a restaurant that closes by 11:00 p.m.

In November, 2003, the City Planning Commission – by a vote of 6-1 – rejected Bruno’s first application to open a new bar at the corner of Maple and Hillary Street. In April, 2004, Bruno’s filed its second application to open the new bar. Other than removing a third floor residence, the second application proposed essentially the same size and scale bar as proposed in the first application. With no real difference in the first and second application, however, Bruno’s committed and was required, as a lynch pin to its second proposal, to convert the old Bruno’s Bar to a restaurant that closed by 11:00 p.m. nightly (except for 12 nights/year) as a condition for Bruno’s Tavern to operate across the street. Bruno's unequivocally confirmed this requirement over and over again. Check out the video clips of Bruno's promise in their own words to convert the old bar to a restaurant that closed by 11:00 p.m. and their documents promising the same:

• In a May 5, 2004 letter to the CPC, Bruno’s filed an “Addendum I” as a permanent part of its conditional use application to open Bruno’s Tavern. The Addendum states that, if the CPC granted its application, “the owners” of Bruno’s Bar at 7601 Maple Street “propose and agree to make the following changes to the current Bruno’s operation within six (6) months of commencing business operations at the new location: (1) Except for twelve (12) days per year, close the business no later than 11:00 p.m. each day of operation; (2) Change the manner in which the business is currently conducted to become more of a ‘restaurant’ than a ‘bar’ by serving food for consumption on the premises”.
• In a June 9, 2004 Open Letter to area residents, Bruno’s states: “we have made a commitment to operate the existing Bruno’s location as a ‘restaurant’ and close the business no later than 11:00 p.m. each night if and when our proposed location begins to operate.” Ironically, the open letter chastises then-MARI president Ray Nichols for saying “its easy to promise a restaurant and switch it to a bar”.
• In a June 15, 2004 Letter to the CPC, Bruno’s submitted “a supplement” to its pending conditional use application and “to formally advise” the CPC of its “intent in connection with the use of” the existing bar at 7601 Maple Street. Bruno’s goes on to state: “we intend and formally commit to change the use of such premises to that of a restaurant where the principal commodity sold is food. Additionally, we intend and commit to operating hours of no later than 11:00 p.m. each day once the new location is fully operational but no later six (6) months after opening the new location. We do not intend and will not use the premises for any other purpose”.
• In a June 24, 2004 Letter to Jay Batt, Bruno’s stated its absolute right to convert the old Bruno’s Bar to a restaurant and that “the Melius family has committed to operate the current Bruno’s more like a restaurant than a bar and cease business operations each day no later than 11:00 p.m. within six (6) months of commencing business at their new location”. The letter further states that “this commitment has been made an official part of the above-captioned conditional use permit application and has been stated publicly on numerous occasions” and that “I hope this information serves to unequivocally resolve this issue”.
• In an August 5, 2004 Letter of Understanding, signed the same day as the City Council hearing conditionally approving the application to operate Bruno’s Tavern, Bruno’s states that, after six months of opening Bruno’s Tavern: “the owners of BCI agree to operate the current Bruno’s Bar, at 7601 Maple Street, as a restaurant rather than a cocktail lounge/bar” and “agree to cease all retail sales no later than 11:00 p.m. each day at the existing Bruno’s Bar location (7601 Maple St) provided, however, the owners may conduct business operation up to 12:00 a.m. up to twelve (12) times per calendar year for special or other types of events”.
• At the August 5, 2004 City Council hearing, Councilman Batt “insisted that Melius … promise to turn the business at 7601 Maple from a bar into a restaurant within six months of opening the new establishment” and “will cut off service by 11 p.m.”

Bruno’s Tavern began operating across the street from Bruno’s Bar on about July 5, 2006. Now, more than six months later, the owners of Bruno’s Bar have not changed the operations to a restaurant and have not closed operations by 11:00 p.m. as promised and required by its conditional use approval to continue operating Bruno’s Tavern. MARI will pursue this flagrant violation – without which Bruno’s Tavern never would have been approved – of the requirements to continue operating Bruno’s Tavern.