Mollusca applicant seeks to rescind 'no boozy brunch' stipulation; committee and neighbors oppose

Eric, the applicant for a restaurant at a location previously discussed by the committee, asked the board to reconsider a standard stipulation that would prohibit 'boozy brunch' specials and unlimited drink/food promotions. He said his intent was not to promote overconsumption but to reserve the option for occasional Saturday or Sunday offerings with staff trained to prevent excessive drinking. Committee members and neighborhood representatives — including the board’s liquor‑licensing committee members and community leaders — pushed back strongly. Speakers said Community Board 2 has a longstanding practice of disallowing unlimited drink/brunch promotions because of the neighborhood impacts they generate, and they also reiterated the board’s general opposition to permitting live music where an application would expose residences.

The committee and neighborhood speakers told the applicant that the prior stipulations had been clearly communicated in the prior meeting and that CB2 consistently resists ‘boozy brunch’ requests. The applicant said he had negotiated concessions on hours and events in earlier discussions and asked the board to reconsider; the committee signaled it would not accept undoing the prohibition and asked staff to finalize a resolution that re‑affirmed the restriction on unlimited drink/brunch promotions and the prohibition on live music beyond recorded background music for the licensed hours.