Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Community Board Crushes Williamsburg's Urban Drunkfitters' Dreams
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Oct 4, 2013
Modified Oct 4, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Oct 4, 2013
Modified Oct 4, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
If you've been counting down the days until you could swill an artisanal Sparkle & Fade martini while browsing a selection of bespoke graphic tees and listening to some sweet tunes at Williamsburg's future Urban Outfitters outpost, prepare to have your hopes brutally dashed by the cruel hand of Community Board 1; last night, the board's liquor license committee voted to deny the clothing company's liquor license application for their upcoming Bedford Ave space. WILLIAMSBURG IS DEAD.
The company had planned to install a bar and restaurant on the second floor of their upcoming 3-story North 6th Street space, arguing that the marriage of alcohol and manufactured hipster threads would help make it "an integral part of the community," since Williamsburg's just a bunch of fauxhemian drunks these days. But CB1 was not impressed. "I go to Ikea and have a sandwich with meatballs, and I don't need a drink," board member Rob Solano, who has presumably never made a mismatched Malm bedroom set purchase post-Evan Williams shots in the kids' furniture section, said last night. "I have no idea where the alcohol fits in."
The full Community Board's ultimate decision is just an advisory one, and the fate of Urban Outfitters'-curated cocktails rests on the shoulders of the State Liquor Authority. And the retailer is presumably still forging ahead with other plans for the new megastore, which will boast a restaurant, pop-up booths selling Brooklyny crafts and a rooftop for patrons to "enjoy drinks and WiFi...and sometimes just sunshine," at long last bringing a touch of culture to Bedford Ave's barren wasteland.
And if the Williamsburg store isn't enough of a corporate community for you, the company plans to build a 3-story "Lifestyle Center" in Herald Square soon, and their Fifth Ave location will start selling specialty coffee alongside the $80 strapless jumpsuits soon.
Tagged
bar
bedford ave
brooklyn
cb1
urban outfitters
williamsburg
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .