“With the help of our cameras and our scanner, we turned the information over to the police and they were able to catch that person,” he said. He also said that a couple of years ago, a thief was targeting the bar to steal women’s handbags. “At that time it wasn’t a good crowd at all, we had a lot of problems and a lot of fights it took us time to clean it up,” he said.īut since then the number of incidents, he said, had decreased, although he acknowledged that the occasional problems do occur.įor example, Taylor said, a group of intoxicated men came to the bar last year, but were not let in, leading to a fight with security guards, he said.
Taylor acknowledged that when he took over the place in 2004, there were many incidents.
The bar, he said, is planning to install another 16 cameras, including three more outside. Taylor said customers' IDs are scanned at the entrance and that patrons are also patted down. He said there are currently 16 cameras, including two that have been placed outside the bar. Gary Taylor, one of the owners of Tropix Bar and Lounge, located at 95-32 Queens Blvd., across the street from the Rego Center shopping mall, said security is a high priority.
The board voted against Tropix’s liquor license renewal last month, after Norman Leibowitz, chairman of the CB6 consumer affairs committee, complained that since the bar opened in 2004, it had amassed 43 different incidents that had required police involvement, including assaults and robberies.
“With alcohol, people are who they are, that’s why you have security.” “I’ve seen arguments but the bouncers would escort them out,” he said. He said he had never encountered a serious incident at the bar. "I’ve met a lot of friends here, and at any given time I can run into somebody that I know. “I come here all the time, I bring my mother here,” said Florin Lungu, 33, who grew up in the neighborhood and works at a commercial real estate management company. QUEENS - After Community Board 6 - citing numerous assaults and robberies - voted in April not to recommend renewal of a liquor license for Tropix Bar and Lounge in Rego Park, the venue’s longtime patrons are coming to the popular bar’s defense.Īs of Friday, more than 150 patrons had written letters of support that the bar plans to present to the State Liquor Authority, the owners said. Crown Heights, Prospect Heights & Prospect-Lefferts Gardens.Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens & Red Hook.