Last night, the New York Police Department shut down Temple of Ankh, the year-old hookah bar at 58 Clinton Street. Unlike many other establishments shut down on underage drinking charges last year, Temple of Ankh appears to have run afoul of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board.
Today there’s an orange “stop work” advisory attached to the metal roll-down gate. According to the advisory, “the employer has failed to secure workers’ compensation coverage.”
Temple of Ankh is owned by Wahed Shenouda, who obtained a wine/beer license from the State Liquor Authority without Community Board 3’s blessing. This month, he went to CB3’s SLA committee in search of a full bar. We’re told Shenouda was arrested last night and that police also paid a visit to the bar last weekend, looking into whether the establishment was serving hard liquor. City records indicate a summons was issued January 7th at 58 Clinton for “occupancy contrary to that allowed by certificate of occupancy.”
We have a call into Temple of Ankh. We’ll let you know if/when Mr. Shenouda replies.
UPDATE 1/23/2011 The county charges have been dropped, while the case is referred to the State Attorney general. More on this story later in the week.
