City screwing around with Monkey Wrench liquor license

[Robin Garr]

Forumite and all around good guy Dennie Humphrey, proprietor of the Monkey Wrench, has started a Facebook event surrounding a really rough deal they're getting from the city. He's really busy and asked me to please post the details here.

If you're on Facebook, you can join this group at
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=132914966760810

Whether you are or not, I encourage you to read and consider whether you can find the time and inspiration to get involved. Among other things, it might be good to quiz the mayoral candidates about this kind of thing, which sadly seems to have become too typical of city government in the declining years of the Abramson reign. Will Greg Fisher change the culture?

Okay, here's Dennie:

Hello friends and neighbors of The Monkey Wrench. Recently we obtained a new liquor license which in turn allows us to operate as a pub with great food instead of a restaurant with great drinks however the city has denied my application to serve until 4 am. For more years than i can count there has been an extended 4 am liquour license on this coroner and now the city says there are to many in the Highlands. Less than a year ago the city gave The Tequilla Factory a 4 am liquor license in the heart of the late night district. I personally do not understand how this is fair. I am asking anyone who lives in the Highlands, Germantown or Paris Town neighborhoods and feel that this is unfair treatment to meet me at the Wrench on November 15th and walk to our neighborhood meeting in suport of The Monkey Wrench obtaining a 4 am license. We must let them know that this is unequal treatment to a thriving business in one of the most unique neighborhoods in America . The Original Highlands neighborhood Association and Tom Owens our district council member have sent opposition letters to our Mayor and city officials to keep us from having this license and once again i say this is not fair. We have operated on this corner for almost 6 years now and have established ourselves as a permenant fixture in this neighborhood. I live less than a 5 minute walk from my business and personally love my neighborhood. Please accept my invitation to this event and march with me to the meeting so they can hear from their actual neighbors. There are more voices to be heard than a 6 person panel and a district councilmen that is not realizing the impact and finacial strain that not haveing this license is placing on The Monkey Wrench and its employees. We demand equal business rights and
with your help the powers that be will see.

Thank you neighbors,
Dennie Humphrey
The Monkey Wrench

That's terrible. I'll try to help...

I lost all respect for the Original Highlands Neighborhood Association with the way they handled the Wayside Mission/Mercy High School Building situation.

Snobs, simple as that.

Doesn't this sound exactly like the shenanigans the city/abc pulled leading up to the opening of FSL!?

[Robin Garr]

Original Highlands Neighborhood Association ... Snobs, simple as that.

That's a nice neighborhood, but I wouldn't have thought it had the stature to qualify for snobbery.

Original Highlands Neighborhood Association ... Snobs, simple as that.

That's a nice neighborhood, but I wouldn't have thought it had the stature to qualify for snobbery.

I was being hyperbolic because I was too lazy to come up with anything else to say. But, they sure do walk around like they own something (bigger than just a house).

From my understanding the 4am licence is a first come first serve, for the limited number of licenses. By changing your license type, you forfeited yours & went to the back of the line. Some times actions have unintended consequences.

From my understanding the 4am licence is a first come first serve, for the limited number of licenses. By changing your license type, you forfeited yours & went to the back of the line. Some times actions have unintended consequences.

I may be corrected on this but my interpretation of his original post is that he never gave up the 4:00 AM license. If he didn't then the entire thing is ridiculous. If there is a limit then the Tequila Factory should've been denied one. If I am correct it just sounds like the city doesn't like his type of politics. Imagine that, political issues in Louisville! I also wouldn't say much good about the neighborhood association.

No. A neighborhood that disagrees with the location of a megashelter is not full of snobs. That's just wrong. Neighbors have a right to take interest in and have influence on the population density of their neighborhood. Same goes for the building of a condominium building or retail development - same thing.

It is unfair to paint a neighborhood with the snob or elitist brush because you fall on the side that wants a megashelter to locate in their neighborhood (not yours.) Wayside found a location that made great sense for them at Hotel Louisville, so why keep up the "Original Highlands is a bunch of snobs" thing? They're not. I don't live in the Original Highlands, but I believe they have a right to their opinion on that matter.

On this matter, they also have a right to their opinion. However, I disagree with their opposition to this one. Dennie runs a great business. He is a conscientious neighbor and business owner, and I hope he gets a favorable resolution on this one. I remember when he was fighting just to open the Monkey Wrench - word got to our neighborhood association about the OHNA's opposition. In the years that he's been there, I think Dennie's done a great job and been a good addition to that area. I think if the neighbors have concerns, they should be fair about it and take them up with him and I have no doubt he'll do everything he can to address them.

No. A neighborhood that disagrees with the location of a megashelter is not full of snobs. That's just wrong. Neighbors have a right to take interest in and have influence on the population density of their neighborhood. Same goes for the building of a condominium building or retail development - same thing.

It is unfair to paint a neighborhood with the snob or elitist brush because you fall on the side that wants a megashelter to locate in their neighborhood (not yours.) Wayside found a location that made great sense for them at Hotel Louisville, so why keep up the "Original Highlands is a bunch of snobs" thing? They're not. I don't live in the Original Highlands, but I believe they have a right to their opinion on that matter.

I agree heartily on this. I can imagine that had the proposed Wayside location been in, oh, say, St. Matthews or Hurstbourne, the opposition would have been even stronger but no one would have batted an eye.

I can imagine that had the proposed Wayside location been in, oh, say, St. Matthews or Hurstbourne, the opposition would have been even stronger but no one would have batted an eye.

Uh.Huh. Keep on believing that one.

I can imagine that had the proposed Wayside location been in, oh, say, St. Matthews or Hurstbourne, the opposition would have been even stronger but no one would have batted an eye.

I agree. I'm so bored with people calling everyone in the Highlands "elitists." I guess it's just easier and simpler for people to box people in that way. Whatever.

Would you settle for eclectic? I settle for calling people in Lake Forest "elitist".

Ha, I'll take eclectic. Just not eccentric, because that means rich and crazy. (If you're poor and crazy, you're just crazy.) Anyways, I'm not rich.

Aside from "too many licenses", can anyone summarize the neighborhood opposition to this venture?