Truer Words Never Spoken – PB Bar and Grill owner shares concern
March 7, 2010 4 CommentsRoger Lee, General Manager and family member that owns PB Bar and Grill, Tremors and Johnny V in Pacific Beach, when asked about the alcohol beach ban was quoted as saying:
“I understand and appreciate the ban,” he says, “because I have seen firsthand how out of control these beach parties can be. I also know that the problems are made by a few and that, in general, the vast majority are law-abiding people having drinks, having fun, and not causing trouble. It is unfortunate that it only takes a few to ruin it for everyone. Just the other day, I was talking to a customer who called everyone who drank at the beach a ‘trouble-causing hooligan.’ With 5000 people coming through our doors every week, all it takes is a couple people to cause trouble, and everyone is accusing you as a problematic business. The difference is that at the Grill, these disruptive customers are 86′d…”
He adds: “Being drunk in public and causing trouble should have more consequences than going to jail overnight.”
My wonder is why Pacific Beach Bar and Grill, saying that the few are spoiling it for the many, are reported by more than a full-third (33)% of the drivers arrested for drunk driving in an outside study, as the last place they had a drink before they were arrested for drunk driving?
Also, just what trouble does PB Bar and Grill get into? After all Mr. Lee claimed that people “being drunk in public and causing trouble” should have more consequences than going to jail overnight right? What consequences has PB Bar and Grill or it’s owners faced in the last 7 years? Correct me if I’m wrong but, on the ABC website they’re showing a single 45-day suspension, with 30 days stayed, for a 15-day suspension - fourteen years ago, in 1996.
I’ll repeat Mr. Lee’s assertion: It is unfortunate that it only takes a few to ruin it for everyone. Exactly what is PB Bar and Grill doing for the Pacific Beach community other than pointing finger? I’d like to see work – not words.
Source: San Diego Reader
Let’s stop pretending bars and ‘restaurants’ are doing a great job being responsible. Check this study, with many bars in PB studied. The overwhelming majority of bartenders and servers (over 90%) over-serve – giving a woman the equivalent of 8 shots of liquor in under 50 minutes.
Perhaps it would be difficult in this existing environment to follow the laws. However, if the environment changes i.e. actually serving responsibly instead of just giving the concept and community lip service, increased (actually, any) ABC enforcement and developing a respectful relationship with the community (i.e. following conditions set at licensing time – which many extablishments just ignore) it could be possible to do a great business.
But, I imagine many of the existing establishments say ‘why bother’. They’re not going to get an ABC citation, the police are swamped and the community running from the business district… a perfect combination for irresponsible proprietors to prey on their consumers and our community.
First off, DUI’s are a problem that should in any way possible be reduced to negate as many future problems as possible. I have been a career bartender for over 11 years and have heard of incidents that should have been avoided though responsible serving practices.
With that being said, this POLD study is skewed to only include PB, so it makes logical sense that the busiest bars would have the highest numbers of DUI last visits. The far more important factor is the BAC % for the offenders. And with that compared, the Grill drops down to fifth.
This writer smells of an amateur who knows little of running a business in this industry. It would be impossible to limit every customer to the .08% BAC allowed by the law. And if you were so inclined to try, your business would not survive.
Am I saying people need to be intentionally over-served to do business? Of course not, that would be irresponsible action on the highest level. However, to believe that ANY bar can keep its regular customers within the legal limit on any given day or night, is quite simply delusional. Try, do their diligence yes, but to achieve that feat is a pipe dream.
I’d like to see our writer here do something about it. Why don’t you open a “safe, neighborhood, family bar” with your “we cut you off at .08%!” hanging on the wall? Think it’ll be a successful establishment? Do you think you can attract people in such droves that is stimulates the neighborhood economy like these establishments? Good luck my friend. Its a double edged sword in PB that the ABC has given the thumbs up to allow so many establishments in such a close proximity.
The other invisible factor not understood by our writer here is that a vast majority of DUI offenders are problem drinkers, aka, raging alcoholics. And the one thing that alcoholics are better at then anyone is hiding the effects the alcohol is having on them, I’ve seen this first hand over and over. A coping mechanism all alcoholics employ in order to get what they want, more booze.
If the patron is seated at the bar, in front of the bartender then fine, don’t serve them 15 long island iced teas. But at establishments such as pb bar and grill, the tavern, typhoon, or any of the other successful bars or clubs in PB where patrons can bounce between 2-5 different service areas within a single establishment, it is nearly impossible and very impractical to think the bartenders are keeping track of every patron, every drink, what they’ve had, how many, and so on.
Finally, comparing the low-life trash who cause(d) the problems in question on our beaches that fateful 4th of July to the legitimate businesses that KEEP YOUR COMMUNITY PROSPEROUS because of the sheer numbers of people they attract, is naive, rude, and appalling.
If you’re going to be a critic, it is best do your research in all areas to understand and to make a proper case, otherwise you come across as simply jaded. For the record, I have no affiliation with PB bar and grill or any of their bars in any way.
Are you implying that we should look away from such a huge percentage of drunk drivers, over 30% in the POLD study, coming from this one establishment because of a few donations? Surely you wouldn’t want to explain to a surviving family member of a drunk driver murdered or, the family of a seriously injured patron, that all should be forgiven because a scoreboard and batting cages were donated, would you? What is the price we put on looking the other way? I’d rather work towards solutions, tough as they may be to work out. I agree. Thanks for helping the kids. Now, let’s look at how we can help their patrons and everyone who steps in their way.
I heard PB Bar and Grill, through a golf tournament, raised money for the Mission Bay Little League. The League is going to purchase scoreboards and batting cages for the kids. Thank you!