Town Cites Handlbar Café for “Bar Rescue” Makeover

Patch reported earlier that the Handlebar Café was recently featured in a reality makeover show and although it was a great experience for owner Elizabeth Mitchell-Cipriano, a few things were left undone.  

The bar did undergo a lot of changes but one of the things that was not done involves asking the town for permission to do those changes.  

The modest signage outside for instance was redone and is  now a big mural on the side of the building which gives the bar a new name - Handlebar and Grill. The bar was issued a violation for that mural along with the oversized motorcycle handlebars that hung over the entrance.  

Though town's officials are not at all ambiguous in their judgement, Patch readers seem to be split on the issue. 

Tom Little commented in an earlier story on this issue, "it's not Stonington it is ZONEINGTON has been for years not friendly to business!

Cathy M reminded us of the picture when she wrote, "I am weary of the politics businesses have to go through to be in this town. Many of the boards (i.e. Finance or P&Z) look like they are into the power plays and not into the issues which make a town thrive and be great."

FJS agrees with the town's process and wrote, "The handlebar sign should not be allowed to remain once the filming is done-it is clearly a huge violation of the sign ordinance and will encourage more "wall art" which is the whole reason for sign rules in the first place."   

According to a report in the day, the handlebars were a safety concern and Mitchell-Cipriano has agreed to take them down. She’s also filing an application for permission to keep the mural and to use the handlebars somewhere else in the bar.  

See also: 
Sign of the Times: Handlebar Cafe and Kitchen Little PZC Brouhaha
After 'Bar Rescue'? Major Hangover
It's coming along!