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Daphne Surpris, who has operated the impeccably designed coffee spot Ms. Dahlia’s Cafe at 449 Nostrand Ave since last year, recently decided that she would like to expand by opening a bar in an empty space next door. You might think such an entrepreneurial move by someone who’d proven her commitment to the neighborhood and her ability to create a tasteful establishment would be welcomed by Bed Stuy residents, but a Community Board 3 meeting on Monday night revealed widespread disagreement within the community about the bar in particular and the future of the neighborhood in general. Some of those in favor of the application said they were tired of going to Park Slope and Harlem to find “more sophisticated bars.” Other supporters argued that the community should be backing an African American woman wanting to open a business in the area. (“We should be supporting someone who looks like us,” said one person from the audience.) One of the arguments against the bar was that there are some schools nearby, though it was later pointed out that the closest one was an adult learning center. Others worried that adding alcohol to an already dangerous block (dangerous? really?) had the potential to increase violence in the area. A man in his late 20s, whose parents lived nearby, argued that he didn’t want them to worry about the same type of violence he felt growing up nearby. Despite the naysaying, the community board ended up supporting the application for the liquor license, so now it’s on to the State Liquor Authority for Surpris, who, ironically, plans to call the new spot Nobar. GMAP


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. kimcheater, what is “reverse racism? Is that when you think another race is superior to your own?
    you mean racism right?

    As to the distinctions between racism and racist thinking, the point is well taken.

    Of course racist thinking needs to be exposed and countered however. There are already enough worldwide examples of “impotent” racist thinking becoming malevolent racism when, for whatever reasons, the power dynamic has changed. You don’t get a pass on being a racist just because you don’t have the power to effect racism.

  2. wow – some thread here…

    I’m not a fan of opening an outright bar on that location -I think a great restaurant is more suiting and needed and could be very successful – hopefully they will expand in the future. I know Daphne (who is Haitian – is that black?) and I wish her and her partner much success – they’ve done a great job with the coffee shop to date.