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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Nightlife Liquor Board On The Eagle's Case Again

Posted by Jonah Spangenthal-Lee on Tue, Jun 23, 2009 at 2:52 PM

The Seattle Eagle is in trouble with the Washington State Liquor Control Board (WSLCB) yet again.

About two weeks ago, Eagle manager Keith Christiansen says he was contacted by the WSLCB about the lack of a sign on the Capitol Hill gay bar's bare, black painted front facade. "They wanted us to put a sign out front saying 'the Seattle Eagle,'" Christiansen says."I haven’t [had a sign] for 27 years."

Christiansen—who's already embroiled in a legal battle against the WSLCB over an undercover sting in the Eagle where liquor agents took photos of a man wagging his penis at a crowd in the bar—says the Eagle has gone without a sign for so long because he fears being "targeted" as a gay establishment by taggers and other troublemakers.

Liquor board spokeswoman Anne Radford says liquor agents weren't aware of any tagging at gay bars and says that regardless, the Eagle needs to put up a sign so SFD and SPD can find the bar in case of an emergency. "Licensed businesses need to have a sign up that has their trade name on it," she says "It ...needs to be a reasonable sign. [S]omething that would be viewable from the street."

Radford says the WSLCB has warned the Eagle about its signage and that liquor agents will be checking back in about a week. Christiansen hasn't said whether he plans to install a sign.

Comments (4) RSS

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So, which member of the Stranger staff put the call in?

Posted by Nick on June 23, 2009 at 3:55 PM

WSLCB: Protection racket.

Posted by Capone Holdover on June 23, 2009 at 6:38 PM

What do Ed Murray and Jamie Pedersen have to say about this harassment?

Posted by Nippl Lovr on June 24, 2009 at 9:53 PM

Maybe he could just put up the address numbers on the front? Then the Fire Dept. could still find the place and he wouldn't have to have a big sign saying "The Seattle Eagle." Even though I don't see what the big deal is about putting up a sign in the first place. What's going to happen, you'll get ricin poured in your beers?

Posted by Greg on June 25, 2009 at 11:14 AM