Both Bottoms Up and Vics failed the Drive-by check on the same day! bummer...

Thursday, March 5, 2020 9:30 AM

My rule of thumb with most EWR/Irvington clubs, and a few Paterson ones, is to loop by at least once, check out what's happening on the street, club doorway, any tinted-window Suburbans around the corner :) etc. If my spidey sense goes off, I move on. This past Monday afternoon I first was pulling into BU when I noticed a small gathering on the Springfield Ave. side of the bldg - just east of the doorway. Nothing too sketchy but I prefer to avoid groups like that. Then turn the corner heading for the parking lot - and there's a guy camped out on the doorstep on the west side of the building, head on a swivel checking out the street constantly, and another group standing just past the building. I figured I was being paranoid so I looped the block, and nothing changed.. so better safe than sorry headed over to VICs. Well, dammit, there's something going on there, too. 3-4 guys on the sidewalk, a bunch of boxes, and demo or construction stuff on the sidewalk just outside the door, and a ladder nearly blocking the door. Thought the place might be closed and being renovated ( again ) but on the 2nd drive it looks like they may have been putting cameras up outside. Now... if you are investing in a crew to put up cameras outside - my money is on the fact that they're going up inside as well. Time will tell. So I gave Vics a pass, too, and headed all the way up north to Jiggles. Review pending when I have time. MMNYC

9 comments

You are a better man than I. When I am that close to tit, I grab it. I have to.

Sgrayeff

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4 years ago

I think you are making a whole bunch of assumptions - and likely reaching erroneous conclusions

Papi_Chulo

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4 years ago

Those clubs have great reputations for being the most off the hook. SJG

san_jose_guy

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4 years ago

To all message above: Thanks for the comments, fellas! And it does take some self control - but I was on the way to other clubs, so that helped. With no "Plan B", I would have chanced it. Assumptions? Of course I was. And my actions were out of an abundance of caution. But my reaction planning goes deep. For example: With the ladder in front of the doorway - even innocently being used for the cam. installations, I would have had to snake my way past it to get in, and it would block the door from opening on the way out - in the minuscule chance I'd need to make a forced fast exit ( fire, etc. ). Just wasn't worth the risk - however small. And yes, SJG, they do, that's why they're in rotation!

MadMaXXXNYC

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4 years ago

I completely believe in listening to my Spidey senses even at the sacrifice of fun, the clubs will always be there, live to Monger another day.

Cristobal

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4 years ago

The clubs with high extras are the clubs that I ALWAYS make not one, but generally 3 loops around the neighborhood before I venture in. If my spider senses are tingled wrong, I move on. After all, I have 4 entire states that I have access to. No reason to ignore my gut instinct.

Nidan111

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4 years ago

I think it’s smart to listen to your gut, when scoping out a club. If something is off - and it might impede your club trip - it’s good to avoid the club. If something is off - and you have to walk under a ladder - those are two good reasons to move on.

Cashman1234

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4 years ago

At Bottoms up the guy who has the interesting job of watching the timer also monitors the 5 video cameras outside the club so I dont get concerned. Years ago at Vics i was about to get a HJ at the bar when irvington PD raided a house down the street. Club owner told everything to stop theatrics until the police left. I promptly left and never returned for 3 years. I agree with listening to your gut, but irvington PD is too busy solving homicides and gang activity to raid clubs. They arent dumb, its just not worth thier effort.

NJBalla

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4 years ago

Agreed, NJB, but my concern wasn't over LE, any more than usual. I feel the greater threat, if there is one, is from other folks getting out of hand, or looking for trouble. The three clusters of guys at BU just looked intentional, and I don't need to get caught in that, or between that, or whatever. Might have just been the corner, and had nothing to do with BU, I just didn't want to be in that mix, and I agree with the TVs at BU, I check my ride occasionally there, too. A for Vic's, that just looked like a hazard, and at first thought there was work going on inside ( my inner monger said" Maybe building large LD rooms with lazy boy recliners and floor to ceiling locking doors ! ), but then saw it might just have been camera work outside. I *do* want to check out Vics again to see if there is either a monitor behind the bar, or more cameras inside as well - rarely do you install just one, or in just one are - usually it's a premise-wide project so that has me alerted to the ld area?

MadMaXXXNYC

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4 years ago

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