Cowbell on Oak Street and Pepperoni Cafe on nearby Hampson Street will be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages, the New Orleans City Council decided Thursday morning, but Bean Brothers Lounge was denied permission to reopen on Danneel Street in Central City.
Both Cowbell and Pepperoni Cafe had been negotiating with the Carrollton-Riverbend Neighborhood Association about the conditions accompanying their permission to sell alcohol, and both were in slightly unusual situations. Cowbell, at the far end of Oak Street, was actually zoned industrial, so it would have received permission automatically had it not been for a moratorium on new liquor licenses in the area. Pepperoni, meanwhile, had previously been in a nearby building that carried an alcohol license, but when it moved to its current location, the license did not move with it.
The Pepperoni application had been opposed by the nearby Maple Area Residents at the January meeting of the city planning commission based on the general proliferation of restaurants serving alcohol in the area, but the planning commission granted its unanimous approval.
Susan Guidry
At Thursday morning’s meeting, Councilwoman Susan Guidry proposed a few new conditions for each restaurant. Cowbell cannot use disposable dishware except for its “signature burger basket,” and cannot give out go cups except during festivals on Oak Street. Pepperoni Cafe must close at midnight, and neither can have live music.
The two establishments both received praise from council members as they received unanimous votes in favor.
“I’m looking forward to going to the Cowbell,” Guidry beamed. “I’ve heard wonderful things about it.”
Bean Brothers Lounge, however, did not fare so well. A decades-old establishment and occasional stop on Central City second-line parades, the lounge has been closed for long enough that it lost its conditional use to operate and could not reopen without the city’s permission.
At the January planning meeting, Michael Robinson of the Jericho Road development said he didn’t strictly oppose the lounge, but that his neighborhood had not been approached by the owner.
“Even though historically there has been a lot of bars in the area, it’s something we’d like to get out of,” Robinson said. “In general, we are in favor of the moratorium, and this is in support of that.”
Stacy Head
City Councilwoman Stacy Head, who represents the area, described her reasons Thursday for opposing its reopening, starting with “intense opposition from community members and leaders.” A church is 110 feet away, and the bar is actually built across property lines so that four structures would receive commercial zoning in a residential neighborhood if it were approved, she said before leading the council’s “nay” vote.
