Bridgeport – Maria packaged products have canceled months of events – including DJ, Karaoke nights and open microphones – because it requires an entertainment license required by city inspectors.
The series entrepreneur Ed Marszewski – known by some under the name of The unofficial “mayor of Bridgeport” – said last week, he did not think that he had to request a public license as a fun license in the city because he never billed coverage for events.
But this month, the inspectors of the business and consumer protection department slapped a prescription for ceasefies orange on Maria, 960 W. 31ST ST., causing events for more than 100 people without license. It was part of what Marszewski called a routine “random verification”.
“I just didn’t know. … Nobody noticed,” said Marszewski. “It is not to be feared, a random bureaucratic SH. It sucks, but we like to respect the regulations, as they wish, it just takes time.”
Maria’s public fun license will also require the approval of the city zoning. It can remain open and continue to exploit its external patio while selling food and alcohol, said a spokesperson for the business department.
Marszewski has resumed his mother’s eponymous activities, exciting the bar and the classic alcohol store with night and community life events. He renovated Maria to 2016 to build an annex and a patio, add an interior space and create a Korean Korean-Polis fusion restaurant, Kimski.
Marszewski, who also owns Marz Community Brewing and the local artistic magazine Lumpen, said that the success of the Maria event calendar would not undermine the business – but “it will harm”.
“Some people have called to ask what the F – has happened, so they are disappointed, but what are you going to do,” said Marszewski. “We have been doing this since we opened, and if we knew this rule, (we) would have applied earlier, but I’m almost sure it will be cool.”
Ald. Nicole Lee (11th) said she spoke to Marszewski and maintains that Maria gets the license so that it can “do things they already do”.
“They were good operators,” said Lee.
Neither Lee ni Marszewski did not know about how long it will take to obtain the license.
Marszewski said he would fill out the documents and head to the town hall if he were to assert his arguments. But it has already removed the orange city sticker.
“Maria is an institution that is loved,” said Marszewski. “My mother made it the most wonderful little paradise for a community.”
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