Insider Report: I Lived Across the Street from Union Hall
Last night, Brooklyn Community Board members voted 6 to 2 in favor of a motion to deny Union Hall a liquor license renewal. The bar, opened in 2006, is one of the most popular watering holes in the entire borough. The epitome of hipster-chic (dusty bookshelves, ironic taxidermy, my-grandma-had-that furniture), it is packed most nights from happy hour to the wee hours. I should know: I lived directly across the street for two years.
Opponents of the bar complained mostly about the noise, claiming that drunks, smokers, and loud curbside cell phone conversations were disrupting their sleep. In the summer, they argued, the side garden is open and the racket is even worse, making a good night's rest nearly impossible.
Unless the owners of Union Hall take harsh and drastic steps to cut back on the din—including halting the sale of alcohol at midnight—they will likely have to shutter, which I think would be a shame.
