ST. PETERSBURG – If you’ve driven anywhere near Central Avenue in St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District in the past year, you’ve probably passed the huge two-story building across from Grand Central Brewhouse.

It’s kinda hard to miss.

Now, two years after signing the lease and after a year of intensive construction, LALA St. Pete, a new karaoke bar and restaurant at 2324 Central Ave., is finally open.

Owner Lucas Herraiz is behind the new venture, which includes a full restaurant and bar on the ground floor, an outdoor patio and rooftop terrace, and several private karaoke rooms throughout the building. .

Herraiz, who is originally from Paris, moved to St. Petersburg from Miami seven years ago. Herraiz hopes LALA St. Pete will serve as a prototype for future similar sites in the Tampa Bay area. Hopefully, he’s looking at Tampa and Sarasota for duplicate concepts.

Here’s everything you need to know about the hippest new spot in town.

Karaoke rooms are themed.

The two-story space features seven private karaoke rooms — three downstairs and four upstairs — each with different themes, decor, and capacity limits.

Rooms include the Speakeasy, with a roaring ’20s and Prohibition-era theme; Studio LALA, which features a 70s vibe and is decorated with vintage Studio 54 photos and a disco ball; and Rock & Red, a rock and roll themed venue outfitted with concert posters from rock and pop legends like David Bowie, U2 and Prince.

Rooms have strict capacity limits, due to city fire codes. The smaller room seats five (“perfect for dates or double dates,” Herraiz said) and the larger one seats 16, which Herraiz says will be popular for business events and parties. big birthday parties.

Customers can reserve two-hour time slots on the bar’s website. Room prices vary and depend on the day of the week as well as the time of day. For example, a smaller room on a Thursday morning around 11:30 a.m. might cost $80 while the largest room – the Tropical Room – costs around $384 a weekend night.

During peak hours, Herraiz said the price drops to around $10 per hour per person.

Rooms are already booking up fast: In the first week of the reservation system’s launch, Herraiz said he got more than 100 bookings.

Not your average karaoke playlist.

Herraiz worked with a French-based karaoke app designer to custom design LALA’s iPad karaoke system, which includes a playlist of 46,000 songs. To choose a song, guests can browse playlists and various music genres and categories (ranging from bachelorette parties to Mother’s Day) or enter the song they’re looking for.

There are multiple microphones and a set of buttons allow guests to control the volume as they please. Another feature allows shy singers to dial in the voice of the original singer on the track, if they prefer to sing a duet.

Food is served… everywhere.

Karaoke is only half the excitement: LALA’s restaurant will serve brunch, lunch and dinner daily.

Chef Kait Smith, 27, runs the kitchen and, along with Herraiz, is in the final stages of designing the menu, loosely described as “upscale American and French Mediterranean” fare. Smith previously worked at Tampa restaurants C-House, Bern’s and Elevage.

Guests have the option of dining in the main dining room, with 32 seats and an additional 14 seats at the bar, or on the outdoor terrace, which leads to a shared beer garden space adjacent to Grand Central Brewhouse. Although the businesses are separate, a mutual agreement between the two means that brewery customers can order food from LALA.

Guests of the karaoke room can also order food and drinks to be delivered to their individual room. Fittingly, there are plenty of grab-and-go snacks on the opening menu, including cheese and charcuterie boards ($29), watermelon and feta skewers ($16), toast lobster avocado ($24) and bruschetta crostini ($13).

For bigger appetites, a selection of baguette sandwiches includes the Parisian, with salted butter, ham, pickles and Swiss cheese ($15); the Italian, which includes salted butter, sopressata, chorizo, ham, lettuce, tomato, onion and Italian dressing ($18); and the Caprese, topped with pesto, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and balsamic glaze ($17). There are also several salads and, for dessert, a salted caramel cheesecake ($7) and a lime pie ($7).

But there are no hot dishes yet.

Permit delays have caused setbacks for kitchen staff, so for the next two weeks it’s just ‘cold’ food.

Once the regular menu launches, Herraiz said diners can expect a more formal list of starters, including many French-leaning dishes like steak frites, coq au vin, mussels fries and beef. Burgundian.

There is a rooftop bar.

Cocktails and a breeze overlooking Central Avenue. Need we say more?

As with most karaoke joints, liquid courage is a big part of the business. The beverage program here includes a list of red and white sparkling wines (including premium Champagne selections) and 10 beers on tap, two of which will include a rotating selection from Grand Central Brewhouse.

Cocktails include a list of classic quaffs (margaritas, Moscow mules, mojitos) and signature drinks including the LALA 75, a twist on a French 75 made with Bombay Sapphire gin, crème de fleur, lavender, lemon juice and sparkling wine.

LALA St. Pete is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.

2324 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg. 727-329-9455. lalastpete.com

After a long wait, LALA St. Pete is finally open. Located across the property from the Grand Central Brewhouse on Central Avenue, LALA is an upscale American and Mediterranean restaurant and bar featuring seven private karaoke rooms, as well as rooftop restaurants. Reservations are now available for the karaoke rooms, and their bar and kitchen are open daily.

LALA will be open for lunch, brunch and dinner (and karaoke, of course) seven days a week and will have a dining room, garden and rooftop terrace for non-singing guests. , and seven private, full-service themed karaoke rooms for small and large groups.

Herraiz said they were excited to finally share their concept with St. Pete, especially with the growth the Grand Central neighborhood has seen since this project began.

“We love the neighborhood,” he said. “We signed the lease two years ago. It’s very interesting to see how in two years the whole neighborhood has changed and so many things have arisen. We are very happy and proud to be in this field.

Restaurant side to offer high-end dishes and tropical cocktails

Herraiz was quick to point out that you don’t have to do karaoke to enjoy dinner and a drink at LALA. In fact, he hopes the chef-curated menu will help attract people looking for an upscale meal in a fun setting.

Although the full menu has yet to be shared publicly, the restaurant did let us in on a few secrets. Entrees include scallops, truffles, charcuterie boards and salads, including a Salad Niçoise that they hope will become a favorite. Notable “high-end” starters include beef bourguignon and filet mignon, among others.

The restaurant will also offer more portable, karaoke-friendly bites with flatbreads, wings, burgers and other sandwiches. In fact, many of these items will also be available at Grand Central Brewhouse. Although the brewery doesn’t have its own kitchen, beer drinkers will be able to order some LALA items while enjoying the GCB vibe.

When it comes to drinks at LALA, Herraiz says to expect a craft cocktail list with a heavy tropical influence while featuring plenty of classics, in addition to wine and beer lists.

The restaurant terrace and bar will offer full food and beverage service and will also be available for private parties.

Seven private karaoke rooms are individually themed

On the musical level, LALA is delighted to finally unveil its karaoke installation. Rather than taking place on a stage in a bar for all to see and hear, there are seven individual karaoke rooms that groups can book for up to two hours. The different sizes allow for groups as small as a few people or up to 16 people.

Karaoke room reservations include a dedicated food and beverage server, providing revelers with an intimate and entertaining dining experience. Arraiz is particularly pleased to reveal what he calls the “surprising” themed layout and décor of each room. Opening themes will include nightclub-style venues, a jazzy New York-style speakeasy and a recording studio.

As of now, LALA plans to be open 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Check back here, we share more updates on the menu and the grand opening.

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The first hundred guests will receive free wings for one year

Harrisburg, PA (RestaurantNews.com) Harrisburg, Pennsylvania-based restaurant group Arooga’s Grille House and Sports Bar will open their brand new franchise in Ewing, NJ on December 12^e, 2021, marking the third opening for franchise partner Allen Zak and the fourth location for the brand in New Jersey.

The newer Arooga is located at 400 Main Blvd. East, Suite 600 in Ewing, NJ in Campustown stores, a short walk from the College of New Jersey and a short drive to Princeton University. Arooga’s TCNJ will be hands-down Ewing’s best restaurant and sports bar for students and families, with views of every game from every seat, made-to-order dishes from fresh, high-quality ingredients, including Included scratch-off appetizers such as their signature favorites BIG Bretzel and Hand-Breaded Mozzarella Triangles, 5-time Buffalo Wing Festival award-winning wings, handcrafted cocktails made with premium real juices and spirits, and a list of beers featuring 40 blanks, including many local craft favorites. Arooga’s is also certified by the Green Restaurant Association to reduce its environmental impact and certified gluten-free by Beyond Celiac, offering tons of gluten-free choices on its menu.

The Arooga TCNJ will open to the public at 11 a.m. on December 12 with a ribbon cutting and celebration to welcome their new fans to their 9,300 square foot full-service restaurant and bar. Their first 100 guests will receive a special prize of award-winning Arooga wings free for one year.

“Expanding our brand into New Jersey has been incredibly exciting,” said Arooga’s Grille House & Sports Bar President and Co-Founder Gary Huether, Jr. “It’s amazing to see our fanbase reaching new heights. summits and we are really looking forward to opening this great new addition to the Arooga family with our fantastic partners Igor and Allen Zak as well as Liz Bryant and her amazing team.

“Our team is thrilled to open our third Arooga franchise here in Ewing, NJ. We can’t wait to open our doors to show the public what we are, ”said Allen Zak, franchise owner of Arooga’s East Brunswick, Howell and Ewing, NJ. “With so many menu options, we’re sure to have something for everyone, and we can’t wait to see the smiles on our customers’ faces when they first step into our Arooga’s.”

“As Director of Operations, I take pride in operating a clean and safe environment for everyone to enjoy,” said Liz Fusco, director of operations for franchise ownership group Nosh Ventures, LLC for the New Jersey sites. in East Brunswick, Howell and Ewing. “We are a family restaurant and sports bar with almost 100 TVs throughout the restaurant. We hope to provide the Town of Ewing with a safe and enjoyable environment that everyone can experience and love. “

Guests who win “Free Wings for One Year” will be enrolled in Arooga’s Rewards program and receive five free original or boneless wings per week for 52 weeks. This reward must be redeemed weekly and cannot be carried over. Limit of one exchange per week. Other rules and restrictions may apply.

For more information on the inauguration, follow the Facebook page for the most up-to-date news. New Arooga fans are encouraged to download the Arooga mobile app from the google play Where Apple stores to get a head start on setting up their loyalty account.

The recipient of several national accolades, including selection as a franchise of America’s Next Top restaurants, as well as recognition among Entrepreneur Magazine’s 500 Best Franchises of 2020 and 2021 and the 200 Best Food Franchises 2020, Franchise Times Top 200+ 2020, Best of Full Service Restaurant Magazine 50 Emerging Restaurant Chains 2018, Technomic’s Top 500 Restaurant Chains 2019, Restaurant Business‘s Future 50 2019 and FranServe Fran-Tastic 500 2021, Arooga’s restaurant company continues to charm industry with its commitment to using the latest technologies to improve the customer experience and improve operational practices, creating unique and delicious dishes on the menu with fresh and natural ingredients, and respecting respectful operating methods of the environment in their restaurants as part of their certification by Green Rest having Association.

About Arooga

Arooga’s is an innovative catering group that currently offers different investment models: their traditional concept focused on sports and entertainment and an urban design with a similar theme and a flexible floor plan with a reduced square footage. Arooga’s offers franchise opportunities for its concepts to qualified multi-unit candidates. For more information on the markets available in the United States and abroad, please visit www.aroogasfranchising.net, or contact Keith Swade, Director of Franchise Development at [email protected].

Media contact:
Tanya scannelli
Director of Communications for Arooga
717-635-9464
[email protected]

Alarmed by what they describe as illegal and dangerous activity taking place at a seedy San Jose sports bar, the city wants to shut it down for good.

The lawsuit – filed by the City of San Jose on July 6 in Santa Clara County Superior Court – alleges that the owners and operators of Agave Sports Bar & Grill at 544 Alma Avenue encouraged prostitutes to solicit customers, authorized them. clients to leave when they are clearly intoxicated and repeatedly violate public health orders aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19.

The city asks that a judge declare the sports bar a nuisance and close it permanently. The city also wants to raise more than $ 25,000 from restaurateurs for breaking city codes.

The lawsuit comes a month after a man under the influence of alcohol and cocaine left Agave and backed up his construction van against a group of unsuspecting patrons in the bar’s outdoor dining area, killing an woman and injuring two others. . Court documents later revealed that the suspect had had oral sex moments before the crash.

“When we take action like this, it’s because (the business) is causing serious quality of life issues for the community,” San Jose City Attorney Nora Frimann said in a statement. interview. “Either the business is dangerous and has health and safety issues, or there are a lot of complaints from the community.”

In this case, said Frimann, “the inappropriate and illegal activity of the establishment is dangerous to public health and depletes police resources”.

From the outside, the beige single-story building looks like a restaurant and bar with holes in the wall. A fenced-in outdoor space is dotted with tables and red umbrellas while inside disco balls hang from low ceilings, glittering against the dark walls. The sign along Alma Avenue that once bore the restaurant’s name and logo has been wiped out since the fatal accident, although the business is still in business.

In addition to the bar, the combination names owners and operators Manuel Andrade Trujillo and Lady Lizcano and Meli’s Restaurant – a second San Jose business owned by the couple where agents also discovered women soliciting prostitution. The lawsuit is also aimed at shutting down Meli’s, which is located at 3116 Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose.

Several appeals from this news organization to Agave and its owners have gone unanswered. An employee on site said on Tuesday that no manager was available to speak to a reporter.

Agave – which is not operated in association with other companies of the same name in San Jose and other Bay Area towns – has been a sore point for local law enforcement for months.

Throughout the pandemic, the restaurant has incurred $ 71,750 in civil fines from Santa Clara County for operating as an illicit nightclub in defiance of indoor dining, assembly bans and mask warrants . When public health restrictions were still in place, members of the local bar industry described the operation to a Bay Area News Group reporter as a sweatshop that provided customers with detailed instructions on how to avoid detection by the authorities.

Restaurateurs reached a compliance agreement with the county, which reduced their fines to $ 28,700. On Tuesday, they paid around $ 7,000. They have not reported any COVID-19 outbreaks in the county, according to files recently obtained by this news organization.

Since December 2020, the San Jose Police Department has conducted a handful of covert investigations into Agave and Meli’s reports on prostitution. Officers arrested at least three women who agreed to commit sex acts in exchange for money, according to the lawsuit.

In one case, a woman informed agents that employees and management knew they had initiated their acts of prostitution at the bar and that the owners paid them based on the amount of beer they encouraged customers to buy. indicates the trial.

The hashtag #CestLeViet says it all. This is La Barrique, a fusion concept integrated into another fusion concept – a chic and playful sports restaurant-bar where French and Vietnamese dishes mingle on the menu.

This is the latest venture from San José entrepreneur Helen Nguyen, a veteran of international trade who added “restaurateur” to her resume after opening Pho Ha Noi restaurants in Little Saigon and Cupertino in San Jose in 2016 and 2019, respectively.

Soon after, she and her husband Harry Nguyen took over this cavernous restaurant space in downtown Vietnam near their first pho location. Over the next year, they tackled the business challenges of the pandemic and obstacles to outdoor seating, cooked and delivered meals to frontline workers – and reflected on what to do with their last acquisition.

They recently unveiled the final concept, so we stopped by the restaurant to check it out and meet their awesome culinary team.

The head chef is from Nice, France, Marc Pavlovic, former culinary coordinator and instructor at the Campbell International Culinary Center. It incorporates Vietnamese flavors into traditionally French dishes – for duck, lemongrass and star anise; for the pork belly, fish sauce in brine.

General manager Lucas England, who was previously bar manager for The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse in Palo Alto, does the same with the cocktail program he developed. There’s the popular Lychee Frozé, the Trái Xoài (mango) Margarita and the “Vietsper” topped with purple basil, a riff on the Vesper.

Here is an edited version of our discussion with the Nguyen:

Q: An upscale Franco-Vietnamese restaurant and sports bar is an unusual concept. How did you get the idea?

Helen: From the start, my husband and I thought about opening a small upscale restaurant and bar – especially for young Vietnamese customers – in the middle of Vietnam Town. But we also wanted to diversify to attract non-Vietnamese customers. We knew that with this location, the high end concept alone would barely attract enough customers, so we twisted the sports bar concept with high end food at affordable prices.

Q: And the name La Barrique?

Helen: The Barrel means barrel of wine. The reason I chose the French name is that our Vietnamese cuisine has been influenced by the French, and I love French cuisine. We decided to name our new restaurant with a French name in memory of my grandmother.

Q: What main dishes and hors d’oeuvres are raves?

Helen: Currently, the most popular dishes are the Duck Deux Façons (pan-fried breast, confit thigh), Bouillabaisse, Mussels Mariniere from PEI. and my favorite, the Homemade Bread Pâté. We bake bread and pie every day.

Q: For weekend brunch, La Barrique offers Bò Né, called “Vietnamese steak and eggs”. What else on this menu?

Helen: Bò Né means plate of sizzling beef. It is very popular in southern Vietnam, but all the ingredients – the flank steak, the pâté and the baguette – are sourced from France. We also have Pork Belly Congee and Mì Quang, the popular noodle from central Vietnam.

Q: And what’s on the French side of the brunch menu?

Helen: Croque Madame, Veggie Croque Madame, French Toast and Grilled Tuna Niçoise.

Q: So far, what sports are your guests interested in watching?

Harry: Our Vietnamese customers are expecting European football and the Copa America this summer. And we expect great interest in coverage of the Olympics.

Q: What about football this fall?

Harry: We are currently open all day Saturday and Sunday so people can enjoy all sports all day long. When the NFL starts, we’ll also open Monday night.

Details: La Barrique serves 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekends and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in downtown Vietnam, 969 Story Road, San Jose. For reservations, call 408-982-3771. The site is under construction; find the menu on barpay.com.

There’s no shortage of entertainment in the unofficial nightlife district of Old Town Scottsdale – that stretch of real estate bordered on the southeast corner of Camelback and Scottsdale Roads, stretching east to 75th Street and south to Sixth Avenue off Drinkwater Boulevard.

But there is always room for more.

On Friday January 26, a new karaoke club with Asian flavored cocktails and small plates joins the party, alongside another recent addition, Dorian Restaurant and Bar.

The two new arrivals share more than one address: They share an owner and a kitchen. Korey Boals (Arcadia Tavern, Bespoke Inn) partnered with Los Angeles-based creators of Blind Dragon – the h.wood Group and Innovative Dining Group (Sushi Roku) – and worked with the city to enable Blind Dragon and Dorian to share a kitchen. .

Open Thursday through Saturday, Blind Dragon seats 60 people in the main lounge and bar, but the main attraction is six private karaoke rooms, equipped with TV screens and sound systems, designed to seat eight. to 16 people at a time.

Food and drinks

The menu is a scaled-down version of the original LA concept, but expect to find:

• Edamame with sea salt ($ 6).
• Boneless chicken wings ($ 12).
• Asian Chicken Salad ($ 14).
• Fried rice with shrimp and pineapple ($ 18).
• Tuna poke bowl with sushi rice or mesclun ($ 18).
• Black Kobe Pepper Skewer with Black Pepper Sauce ($ 22).

Cocktails ($ 16) contain Asian ingredients, such as:

• Fu Manchu, which is an Old Fashioned with Chinese five-spice and yuzu.
• Hakuna Kolada, made with rum, coconut, lemongrass and a black rum float infused with black tea.

Book a karaoke room and you can choose a bottle from the long list, maybe Herradura Reposado for $ 400 or Chivas 18 for $ 700. Or you can choose something from the karaoke menu, which combines food and alcohol, ranging from $ 425 to $ 1,000.

Blind Dragon recommends booking karaoke rooms two weeks in advance, but will run full evenings on a first come, first served basis.

Blind dragon

Details: 7419 E. Indian Plaza Drive, Suite A, Scottsdale.

Hours: 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday.

Details: 480-907-5738, blinddragonscottsdale.com.

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BURBANK >> After Sal Ferraro opened the Dimples restaurant and bar opposite the Warner Bros. building. in 1982 he was looking for a way to distinguish the place from the sports disco bar he owned down the street.

Then, shortly after opening the bar on West Olive Avenue, he discovered the home karaoke machine at a celebrity party.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

“Back then you had to read (the lyrics to the song) in a book,” said Ferraro, 84. “At first it was a bit slow. After the CD came out with the bouncing ball and the words, it all blew up… and everyone had it.

Now the iconic Dimples, billed as “America’s first karaoke bar” and known for its clutter of Hollywood memorabilia, is preparing to close its doors to make way for the Talaria Project in Burbank. The $ 165 million mixed-use project, which was approved by city council in October, will feature four levels of luxury apartments atop a 43,000-square-foot Whole Foods market.

• VIDEO: The karaoke scene at Burbank’s Dimples

• PICTURES: A karaoke night at Dimples in Burbank

“It’s devastating,” said Dimples manager Kim Snow, a 12-year-old employee, as he took a break from his bartending job. “We’re all really overwhelmed that it’s happening so soon. We knew this project was underway. It was just a matter of time. “

Last weekend, Dimples was filled with old friends as well as new ones who were eager to experience the place made famous across the country by a popular reality TV episode “Bar Rescue” which aired in 2013. Since the As news of its impending closure spread, the venue was crowded most weekend nights, with patrons occasionally having to wait outside so as not to exceed the venue’s 150-person capacity, Snow said.

“We are doubling our normal Holy Fridays and Holy Saturdays,” she said. “We have opened on Sundays for the past two weeks because we have been so busy.”

The kitsch bar, which has a wall of stained glass windows stained with the emblems of nearby movie studios, was due to have its last hurray this Saturday night, but Ferraro has worked with the owner and is hoping to secure a one-month extension, Snow said , adding that the actual closing date will be posted on the bar soon Facebook page.

Friday’s stage lineup included a few professional singers, two young girls and tipsy adults humming into the microphone in front of a life-size cutout of Vanna White. Accessories including bunny ears, wigs and glittering top hats were available to some of the most daring artists. In popular Dimples tradition, singers are given a photo and DVD of their first performance.

The dimples should be declared a “historic monument,” argued Dennis G. Miller, 66, of Van Nuys, who sang “Splish Splash” with a friend. Miller even took a request to designate it as a historic city resource and said he hoped the developer would consider changing the plans. Ferraro has long claimed that Dimples was the country’s premier karaoke bar – although its veracity could not be independently verified – and many customers have clung to that claim.

“It has to be preserved,” said Miller, a handyman with long gray hair. “It’s like finding dinosaur bones. … Any other karaoke venue can be shaved, but not the first one.

Julie Griffin, a professional singer from Valley Village, said she comes to Dimples for camaraderie and to let off steam.

“We’re all equal here,” Griffin said, sipping vodka tonic and talking to a young man. “We all look pretty bad. It is a special place and I am really sad to see it disappear.

Sitting on a bar stool by the kitchen, Ferraro proudly showed off billboards covered in photos of celebrities who have performed over the years, including Britney Spears, Jay Leno and Katy Perry. Actor Dennis Haskins, who starred as Belding in “Saved By the Bell,” is still a regular.

Back in the days when Dimples was the only karaoke bar, business was at its peak, Ferraro said. But things have calmed down except on Fridays and Saturdays, as karaoke bar after karaoke bar have sprung up around her. The bar’s appearance on “Bar Rescue,” which gave it a new look and significant publicity, resulted in a much-needed increase in sales, but they also made a few changes that put Ferraro in the wrong direction.

“They did me 50% good, 50% bad,” he said. “They took out my dance floor, removed my sign, rearranged a few booths. I did not like. They (also) bought new rugs, new bar stools, a sound system and a cash register. They spent a lot of money.

They also emptied his memories, including cameras and old photos, which he quickly returned to the bar. When they filmed the show two years ago, he was in debt of around $ 250,000. He has since sold some properties, including a house in Lake Tahoe, and is now out of debt, he said.

Ferraro is confident he will find another location and is currently working on runways to vacant restaurants and bars in Hollywood, North Hollywood and Burbank. Besides Dimples, there are around 40 households, several other commercial tenants and a church on the site that will also be moved by the Talaria project, which is the first large mixed commercial / residential project in Burbank, according to real estate group Cusumano, the developer. of the project.

“The dimples will live. It’s an institution, ”Ferraro said. “Where are you going to go in a bar and buy a DVD, a picture of yourself… and be on the Internet all over the world? There is no place, no place like that.

In his early days, Albert Zuniga remembers going to Dimples to have the girls dance to Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and big bands to impress the ladies with his moves during their weekly swing dance lessons. Now the retired TV producer and film editor goes to the kibitz with clients and has a martini every now and then.

“This is my living room,” said Zuniga, who is one of the many clients valuable enough to have a little nameplate nailed to the bar. “I don’t miss karaoke as much as all of my friends, the girls (who work there) that I have seen come and go, the bartenders, Sal, and a lot of people he knows who were regulars who have all left. now.”

Burbank City Councilor Emily Gabel-Luddy said she was sad to see this “regional icon” shut down and is hoping Ferraro can find a location nearby.

But the Talaria project, which will provide around 240 luxury apartments ranging from 821 square feet to almost 3,000 square feet, will offer many who work in the city’s bustling media district a chance to live there, a- she declared.

“Nickelodeon brought 600 jobs across the hill to Burbank,” said Gabel-Luddy, one of four in five board members who voted in favor of the project. “The Cartoon Network has grown. More and more people are working on Cartoon Network and the average age is 27. I think this is all very positive.

But that’s no solace for John Oliver, a 68-year-old music royalty accountant who works across the street and comes to the bar every night after work for drinks, chatting with friends. and have the chance to sing Sinatra or BB King. . Oliver was “adopted” 11 years ago by the ladies who work at the bar, he said, and they take care of him like no one else does.

“It’s very sad,” said Oliver, who is not married and also has a nameplate on the bar. “It seems a family is breaking up. That is exactly what I feel.