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Council Against Alcohol Sales At Side-By-Side Bistro And Salon

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By KATHY STEELE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 11, 2008

SEMINOLE HEIGHTS - The city council has balked at granting alcohol sales at a side-by-side hair salon and restaurant on Florida Avenue.

Councilmen John Dingfelder and Charlie Miranda signaled they would consider only beer and wine sales at Bungalow Bistro but nothing for Forever Beautiful Salon & Day Spa.

"It's lovely good food," Dingfelder said of the restaurant. "It appears to me a natural for just beer and wine."

The council voted to continue a public hearing to 6 p.m. Thursday to give the bistro and salon owners, Michael and Elizabeth Graham, time to review their options.

The Grahams said they want a license that allows beer, wine and liquor sales at the restaurant and sales of gift baskets of wine and beauty products at the salon. They also would like to have wine and beer tastings and package wine sales.

Wet-zoning both businesses would allow customers, who might be offered a free glass of wine at the salon, to move freely between the two. The rear parking lot would be outside the wet-zone boundaries.

At last week's public hearing, residents spoke for and against the license. Opponents cited concerns about the potential for extended hours of operation until 3 a.m., inadequate parking, noise and what future owners of the buildings might choose to open.

"I can't see a plausible explanation why a beauty salon needs alcohol sales," Eric Hulsinger said.

Michael McCandles, who also lives nearby, said the Grahams "have done a great job with what they have," but he worries about future owners.

"Who knows what's going to happen down the road?" he said.

Supporters said the restaurant and salon benefit the area's commercial development.

"We have had nothing for so long," Jeanne Lavettre said. "It would be a terrible thing to have them go away. We want to encourage more of these businesses."

The South Seminole Heights Civic Association's board supports the license request, President Gary Ellsworth said. The businesses are a "tremendous asset," he said. "I think we need to look at what it is going to take to make these businesses successful."

The Business Guild of Seminole Heights, of which Elizabeth Graham is president, supports the license. The Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association is closely divided.

The Grahams said they would accept restrictions, including that the businesses remain a restaurant and salon and that only wine would be sold for take-home.

"I have a lot riding on this," Elizabeth Graham said.

About eight years ago, the Grahams bought a bungalow and carriage house that were in the path of a highway widening and converted them to the restaurant, 5137 Florida Ave., and the salon, 5135 Florida Ave.
Elizabeth Graham said they believed their businesses were what neighbors wanted to see along a redeveloping commercial corridor.

"That was my inspiration for developing this dream," she said. "I just want to be able to compete with other restaurants in my neighborhood."

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 835-2103 or ksteele@tampatrib.com.

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