Alcohol Serving Hours

[Luca Brasi]

How many times have we heard that Hartford wants to be a 24 hr city? How can anyone think that is possible when everything closes at 2am? If Hartford really wants to walk the walk, bar time should be extended to 4am. Downtown Miami goes 24 hrs while surrounding areas stop serving at 4am.

I don't really understand this puritanical law anyway. If a grown adult wants to stay out late, that should be your choice... not the state's. Many clubs downtown don't get busy until after midnight, and then last call is at 1:30. It doesn't make for much of a nightlife scene.

[HartfordTycoon]

How many times have we heard that Hartford wants to be a 24 hr city? How can anyone think that is possible when everything closes at 2am? If Hartford really wants to walk the walk, bar time should be extended to 4am. Downtown Miami goes 24 hrs while surrounding areas stop serving at 4am.

I don't really understand this puritanical law anyway. If a grown adult wants to stay out late, that should be your choice... not the state's. Many clubs downtown don't get busy until after midnight, and then last call is at 1:30. It doesn't make for much of a nightlife scene.

[The Voice of Reason]

Tycoon,

Honestly I am in. I am a born and raised New Yorker, and my biggest problem with CT is the puritanical rgetoric that manifests itself in liquor laws. Hell this state has 2 of the largest Casinos in the world but bars must close at 2 AM on weekends and 1 on weekdays. This is not only silly, but it is also hypocritical. After seeing that the Hartford mayor only needed 8500 votes to win, has made me realize how little it takes to make a difference in this state. send me a PM if you are serious about mobalizing something and I will get you my e-mail and cell #

I am 33 now, and married, so I am not missing out perse but the times that I do go out I am bummed to have last call so early. My wedding a few months ago was a perfect example. It ended up with 50 of my friends hanging out in front of the hotel because CT had closed down. Grown men and women loitering like teenagers in front of the Raddison in New London with drinks they stocked up on earlier. They did eventually go to one of the rooms I heard, but I am sure Hanafins would have appreciated the business they represented and I know they would have prefered an irish pub over a hotel room like kids after the prom.

[Luca Brasi]

How do you even approach something like this? By contacting your congressman?

[mikel]

Extending the hours a bar can stay open, just like extending the hours a package store can stay open, is ultimately bad for the small businesses. Bars would rather have you come at 8pm than 11pm. The only purpose keeping them open later is to serve alcoholics. Even in a 24 hour city what kind of person is out at 4am? Not to mention more police staff would be needed. Just seems like everyone loses except alcoholics and insomniacs.

[Luca Brasi]

You really don't know what you are talking about Mike....

[Chessplayer]

How do you even approach something like this? By contacting your congressman?

[HartfordTycoon]

I personally would start pretty much exactly as Chessplayer described. Start with the bar owners Downtown and see what their thoughts are on the matter. If a significant number of them support it, I would proceed. If there is not very much support among them, it's a non-starter anyway. Once you have the support of them go the the residents and see if they support 1.) The creation of the Entertainment District in general, and 2.) The mentioned changes to bar closing times within those zones. I would mention the idea to the state representatives and senator that I know personally and see what their thoughts are. I would create a public awareness campaign starting with a web site and try to foster discussion about it online via various blogs, message boards, and social networking sites, etc. I would also go to the local college students and gather support for the idea and try to get them involved. If they all started writing letters and articles started showing up in the student newspapers then I think the wider public at large may start discussing it and hopefully the media would pick up on the campaign and start to follow it.

I never thought the liquor stores would get longer hours and that did actually happen, so I guess I think there is hope in this cause as well. I just think it needs to be demonstrated that this will increase the appeal of the region, not decrease it and that it will provide an economic benefit to local business. If that can be demonstrated, we have a shot.

[beerbeer]

The 8 PM closing time for package stores was a reaction to a string of robberies decades ago.

BTW mikel, -- Extending the hours a store or bar can be open is different from extending the hours a store MUST be open. Extending the hours doesn't hurt anyone, it just gives the store owner options. If he chooses to close early, the owner can do that.

[The Voice of Reason]

As I wrote in an overly verbose blabberring e-mail to Tycoon This needs to be aproached from the right direction.

If a group of people start rallying for more access to alcohol, and they come across as rabblerowsers, it would go now where.

If a group of people come together with a respectable image and the support of local business leaders behind an effort to breath additional life into the capitol city and one side effect is additional access to alcohol, than you have a winner.

I like the idea of including local students. I think the best way to bring students into this is to show a direct link between entertainment options in the city and the ability to retain our educated youth. I know all of the interns that we had this year want to leave Hartford after graduation for more fun locations. If Hartford can show itself as being more fun for the young professional, companies like mine will start adding head counts to Hartford rather than giving them to Atlanta and Scottsdale.

If you can show that there would be a signifigant increase in young professionals interested in staying in CT, and moving to Hartford, you could then get the major employers behind you as they are DESPERATE, and I repeat DESPERATE for good candidates..

If you have Aetna, ING, Travelers,Phoenix, UTC, and The hartford supporting your cause, its safe to say that your legislation will be noticed.

[Luca Brasi]

A few advantages:

It would make downtown Hartford even more of a destination for entertainment. It would give Hartford a edge over Mass. and R.I. in this regard. And believe it or not, these people come to Hartford regularly to see DJs at Room 960, Constitution Plaza, etc.

Added liquor sales, cover charges, etc. bring more revenue to both small business and state.

Hartford gets an image boost as a fun place that doesn't shut down and boot everyone out at 2am. Any club owner will tell you the most difficult part of the night is getting everyone to leave when the lights come on at 2am. A nightlife scene would without a doubt take root and grow in Hartford.

[mikel]

A few advantages:

It would make downtown Hartford even more of a destination for entertainment. It would give Hartford a edge over Mass. and R.I. in this regard. And believe it or not, these people come to Hartford regularly to see DJs at Room 960, Constitution Plaza, etc.

Added liquor sales, cover charges, etc. bring more revenue to both small business and state.

Hartford gets an image boost as a fun place that doesn't shut down and boot everyone out at 2am. Any club owner will tell you the most difficult part of the night is getting everyone to leave when the lights come on at 2am. A nightlife scene would without a doubt take root and grow in Hartford.

[Luca Brasi]

The only reason they close is because they can't serve alcohol anymore. Not because they need to close. There used to be clubs in Hartford that just shut off the alcohol taps at 1:45 and would stay open much longer.

[MadVlad]

Not true. I you have a bar or cafe license, you must be closed and have EVERYONE out of your establishment by 2am. The only way you can stay open later is with a restaurant license... and for that, you need a full kitchen. Its why diners that serve alcohol can stay open 24 hrs.

The afterhour clubs that used to be open in Hartford years ago didn't serve alcohol and needed a juice bar license. With that, you can stay open all night.

[The Voice of Reason]

http://www.nraef.org/pdf_files/KeyLaws_Reg...Connecticut.pdf

From what I can see here the laws are truely state driven. I am wondering if the city would be able to have higher jurisdiction than the state, and this could be handled with a city referendum, or if the special district would have to be passed at the state level.

[Luca Brasi]

And any club that was a bar and then an after-hour place would kick everyone out, close down, then re-open at 2:30 alcohol-free. That's the way the Muni worked (which is gone, loved that place).

[HartfordTycoon]

http://www.nraef.org/pdf_files/KeyLaws_Reg...Connecticut.pdf

From what I can see here the laws are truely state driven. I am wondering if the city would be able to have higher jurisdiction than the state, and this could be handled with a city referendum, or if the special district would have to be passed at the state level.

[Lowerdeck]

Maybe it's just me, I don't mind the 2 am closing on the weekends.

When I was in Danbury the last couple of years, having fun times at the bars and craptastic clubs down there, having the bars close was a good way to get some sleep at night for classes or work the next day. If it was open until 3, 4, or later, I would have been absolutely screwed the next morning. I dunno how people with day jobs or lives can stay out all night, I certainly can't.

I went down to NYC one night to see Ferry Corsten, then found out he wasn't coming on until 2 am. I was not very happy. Most people, me being one, can't go all night. So when Tiesto played in Hartford two months ago, I was happy... show ended at 1. (Even then, I had to crank Red Bull on the way home just to stay awake driving back.) When places in Connecticut get events, they can end at reasonable hours and normal people with day jobs can show up.

As for the packies: if the businesses want to close at 9, let them. It's not like we can't buy booze before hand anyway. Then again, when I lived in Danbury... I usually bought beer in New York (Brewster) anyway.

[The Voice of Reason]

The reality is that you may not be able to stay out that late, but many can.

The people that can and would like to are young and many are type A professional material.

This is about options.

There would likely only be a few places open untill 4. Many would stay open untill 3 and most would stay at 2. This would only be on Thurs-Sat.

The reality in New York State is that most people leave the bars by 230-3am on their own accord.

[mikel]

And any club that was a bar and then an after-hour place would kick everyone out, close down, then re-open at 2:30 alcohol-free. That's the way the Muni worked (which is gone, loved that place).

[HartfordTycoon]

The reality is that you may not be able to stay out that late, but many can.

The people that can and would like to are young and many are type A professional material.

This is about options.

There would likely only be a few places open untill 4. Many would stay open untill 3 and most would stay at 2. This would only be on Thurs-Sat.

The reality in New York State is that most people leave the bars by 230-3am on their own accord.

[Lowerdeck]

The reality is that you may not be able to stay out that late, but many can.

The people that can and would like to are young and many are type A professional material.

This is about options.

There would likely only be a few places open untill 4. Many would stay open untill 3 and most would stay at 2. This would only be on Thurs-Sat.

The reality in New York State is that most people leave the bars by 230-3am on their own accord.

[MadVlad]

My friend used to work at Blu, and after 2AM, he'd just drive down to NYC to hit clubs until 10AM....

[The Voice of Reason]

Ugh, forgive me for being an assuming fool. (Going on a tangent here: I live in the I-395 area (very rural), type B, and from a staunchy conservative working class familia. So perhaps it's inappropriate of me to transpose the life here onto Hartford's suburbs.) Just figure people got 9 to 5's, and staying out ridiculously late screws em up.

I think the hard part is, we have New York City so close by. New York is *the* place in this part the country. However, most people aren't going to New York every single weekend to get drunk and have a good time.

So, Hartford as a regional center can do better in drawing in nightlife. Apparently the spot in this state is New Haven. A modest goal should be to try and be like New Haven or a bit better. Then go for rivaling Providence.

[Lowerdeck]

I would say... Hartford needs to take a look at certain places and see what it could compete against.

In my area, the I-395 belt, nobody thinks of Hartford. It's all Providence. Even though we're halfway between the two out here.

When I lived in Danbury, it was like this. Most of the time stayed around town. Some friends of mine would go down to New Haven once a month or two. Hartford was never a thought, and these are the people we're trying to keep in the Hartford area. (For special occasions, then NYC came into the picture.)

I think the best places Hartford could better do in terms of competing, going against cities nearby that compete as regional powers. Like Danbury, Meriden, Waterbury, Danielson-Putnam ... places that are about similar travel between Hartford and X.