Restaurant, Lounge or Late Night Club?
The business Rich Girl Lifestyle, LLC is seeking a liquor license at the address 1627 Washington Ave, in the space previously occupied by Cummel’s.  The building is known as the University Lofts.  Few things are as controversial as the issuance of a liquor license and the application for the place to be called Couture is no exception.
In April liquor license compliance specialist Joe Kelly sent a letter to property owners, businesses & registered voters within a 350 feet radius of that address seeking their approval for a liquor license at a new “restaurant and lounge” to be called Couture. My building is within the radius but only those on the first three floors get any say about such matters. The city must think sound can’t reach me or my neighbors on the 4th floor or higher.
Teri Little indicated to KMOV’s Maggie Crane that Couture would close most nights by 11pm:
The proposed hours of operation are 11a-11pm M-Th, 11am-130am Fri-Sat.
In a nutshell, it’s a boutique styled cafe/lounge(speakeasy style venue) geared towards the fashion friendly. We will serve food and exotic handmade cocktails as well as some light retail. (source)
However, a resident of University Lofts told me they are now saying they will be open until 1am 7pm every night. Â Late nights on Friday and Saturday nights are expected, especially on Washington Ave. Â But the rest of the week the area is a mostly quiet residential neighborhood.
Neither LeTeri Little, or her business partner Angelique Hover, live in the City of St. Louis. Residency isn’t a requirement to obtain a liquor license, of course, but I don’t know that residents of nearby suburbs can appreciate the concern of those who live in close proximity to others.
The resident I talked to indicated the lobby doorway would not be the main entrance.
He said the side door would be the doorway used instead. Â I haven’t verified his claims but I doubt the doorway would be used as is, it’s just too steep. Â It is possible to build a platform and easier steps to use this door, perhaps even a deck for outdoor seating.
Using the side door makes since to bring some life to this short block of 16th Street. Â The problem is the width of the public right-of-way is only 50 feet.
Given how sound can bounce from wall to wall it is absurd residents on the 4th floor or higher don’t get a say in liquor license applications. Â My windows face the building next door, about 75 feet away, and I hear everything that goes on in the parking lot below. This limitation needs to be reviewed and revised.
LeTeri Little’s husband, Chris Little, ran the Label in Chouteau’s Landing, which has been in the news since April:
St. Louis Police are mourning the loss of one of its veteran officers, following a downtown altercation in a nightclub parking lot. (source)
Very different area, there might be a few residences in the upper floors of these buildings but parking lots and other businesses is the norm. Â Is there guilt by association? Yes, prior and affiliated businesses are a basis I would use to approve a new license — if I got a say in the matter.
Personally I like the idea of a new establishment near me and I like a drink now and then so I wouldn’t flat out reject it. Â But most restaurants are not open until 1am seven nights per week.
– Steve Patterson
Sounds like downtown st. louis needs a liquor moratorium.  That has worked well for other areas. Â
Sounds like downtown st. louis needs a liquor moratorium. That has worked well for other areas.
Oh no! Open it all up. No liquor moratorium at all. That’s the problem with St. Louis. Too much of a puritanical mentality still. Let all the bars be open as late as they want. If you live there deal with it. I live in a university city in Belgium. We have 50,000 university students in 4 square miles. Yeah…think about it! The bars are open as late as possible and the clubs are making tons of cash. I deal with noise all the time. That’s the wonders of living in a lively city. Go to New York and see how it is there. The night life is amazing.Â
But it’s also important to have a friendly but watchful police force. Also, to lessen the amount of hosiers and other unwanted people of low class, just make the place more “international” friendly.Â
Oh no! Open it all up. No liquor moratorium at all. That’s the problem with St. Louis. Too much of a puritanical mentality still. Let all the bars be open as late as they want. If you live there deal with it. I live in a university city in Belgium. We have 50,000 university students in 4 square miles. Yeah…think about it! The bars are open as late as possible and the clubs are making tons of cash. I deal with noise all the time. That’s the wonders of living in a lively city. Go to New York and see how it is there. The night life is amazing.
But it’s also important to have a friendly but watchful police force. Also, to lessen the amount of hosiers and other unwanted people of low class, just make the place more “international” friendly.
I used to live on the 8th floor of a loft located next door to a lounge located on Locust at 20th. Believe me, I heard the noise, the music and the after-hours activity. Even dumping the empty bottles in the dumpster at clean up time (2:00 AM!!!!!) was bothersome. I also learned more about “male anatomy” than I ever wanted to know. I wouldn’t relive those days for any reason, and I sympathize especially with those owners who live in Railway Lofts next door. Get yourself some ear plugs.
I used to live on the 8th floor of a loft located next door to a lounge located on Locust at 20th. Believe me, I heard the noise, the music and the after-hours activity. Even dumping the empty bottles in the dumpster at clean up time (2:00 AM!!!!!) was bothersome. I also learned more about “male anatomy” than I ever wanted to know. I wouldn’t relive those days for any reason, and I sympathize especially with those owners who live in Railway Lofts next door. Get yourself some ear plugs.