August 9, 2007
Capitol Lounge Set to Reopen Today
Courtney Mabeus over at The Examiner says that Capitol Lounge should reopen today after getting the go ahead from health inspectors. The bar suffered its second fire in two years on Wednesday, but damage this time, estimated at about $15,000, looks to have been largely limited to the back patio. The Trover Gift Shop on the 200 block of Pennsylvania Ave. SE was also damaged in the blaze, which started in a dumpster behind the bar. It's great news for Lounge regulars to be able to return so soon after the fire.
Also, since he responded in our tip line instead of in the comments of the previous post, we thought we'd republish Capitol Lounge owner Joe Englert's response to the jerky anonymous commenters we had who accused him of setting the fire himself to collect insurance money. You tell 'em, Joe.
Hi, this is Joe Englert responding to the dipshits who think me or any of my employees would torch a business that does 40-50,000 a week in business for some phantom insurance money. In 2005 we had a fire that cost us more than $750,000 in income. As if we would just joyfully start ANOTHER blaze to cost us all this money again. My employees probably lost $15,000 a piece in tip money as well. As of this writing, Llyod’s of London has not coughed up a penny for our major loss. Use your heads people. What a wreckless thing to do, accusing someone of arson. Just plain nasty. I hope no one kicks you when major trajedy hits your lives. Life is just too short for this pointless hostility.Stop by Capitol Lounge tonight to show them your support, and be sure to tip your bartender well.
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okay, while i'm sure everyone is sympathetic for your loss, it's naive to think that 'accidental fires' aren't a regular part of the restaurant biz.
So while you might be having a streak of bad luck, there are a number of businesses in similar situations where the fire was anything but accidental. And once people get away with it once, they tend to try it again.
goodluck with everything.
Good for him. Until their is evidence don't say stupid crap. Capitol Lounge makes a ton of money so I have no idea how you figure that the insurance money from a fire makes up for the loss of permanent revenue and the pain of collecting the money from the insurance company (just ask some Katrina survivors).
I know your employees and your patrons. Employees lost 15 grand in tips a piece in 3 months? Cute. Now, lets go back to reality.
Feed me all the beer you want, I'll keep coming to your bars. I'll pass on the side of BS, though.
I'd stop by, but I'm not really into sweatsoaked fusterclucks of cheap-tip interns jonesing for $2 Miller Lites anymore.
I'll take the flaming dumpster.
Anyone that has ever had to deal with an insurance company to cover a major loss knows that it's no joke and could take months or even years to see any of that money. I myself am out of a condo, due to water damage from my neighbor [and it's been two months with no progress on the check or the repairs]. Shame on whoever thought to suggest it was arson and just a plot for money, especially since no evidence has surfaced to suggest otherwise.
a bigger question is when is joe going to get the bar opened at what woa the zebra lounge across from cactus cantina? that place sucked, and i'm ready for a new (and good) one in its place
Proof once again that no appeal to decency or common sense will go heeded on the internet.
Joe Englert: Please stop making hurtful, jerky, anonymous comments about me during a difficult time.
Anonymous jerks: No. Here are some more for you to read.
The only thing worse than the ignorance of these sorts of comments is the cowardice that goes hand in hand with it.
"Accidental" fires maybe part of the biz, but the ones who torch their places usually don't re-open. The idea is to take the money and run. Joe is absolutely right to tee-off on those earlier moronic comments -- a case of people trying to show how witty they are simply proving their stupidity.
"Hi, this is Joe Englert responding to the dipshits who think me or any of my employees would torch a business that does 40-50,000 a week in business for some phantom insurance money. In 2005 we had a fire that cost us more than $750,000 in income. As if we would just joyfully start ANOTHER blaze to cost us all this money again. My employees probably lost $15,000 a piece in tip money as well. As of this writing, Llyod’s of London has not coughed up a penny for our major loss. Use your heads people. What a wreckless thing to do, accusing someone of arson. Just plain nasty. I hope no one kicks you when major trajedy hits your lives. Life is just too short for this pointless hostility."
This statement reeks of guilt...
i bet you that the people who are talking shit on Joe all ride their bikes to work
The sanctimony here makes me gag.
"Flaming Dumpster" - if there's not already a drink named that there damn well should be.
What about the Trover Shop people. Does anyone care about what they are going through???
Recipe for one "Flaming Dumpster"
2 oz vodka
2 oz kaluha
6 oz cream
2 oz Tabasco
12 oz sweet corn
2 oz triple sec
1 celery stalk
Combine first 5 ingredients with ice, shake well, pour into a collins glass, stir with celery stalk. Pour triple sec on top and ignite with match. Consume, then find a dumpster or handicapped stall. Quick. Wipe vigorously.
(Substitute Astroglide for triple sec and you have what's known as a "Brown Russian.")
"Accidental Fires" have such a long and well documented history that people are right to consider them. Like people consider whether a cash business might be keeping two sets of books. But absent proof, it's just not right to accuse.
I'm glad that the guest who "knows" Lounge employees and patrons feels they have enough knowledge to really understand how much a full-time bartender makes in three months-and enough deep wisdom to contradict the bar's owner. Bet ya never worked in a bar but thanks for your deep insight.
I would imagine that any business that has 2 fires within several months will be under such scrutiny by the police, fire marshall, ATF, IRS, and even FBI, that if either of these fire were deliberate, we would hear about sooner rather than later.
Until I see the owner in cuffs, I will take his side of the story and chalk it up to bad luck.