Dear Invested Urban Residents,
On behalf of the Urban Neighborhood Alliance, we ask for your help in supporting Hank’s Oyster Bar. On Friday, the ABC Board investigators closed down half of their outdoor patio space pending the decision by the ABC Board on the termination of their Voluntary Agreement with 5 neighborhood residents. UNA believes that the voice of a few should not destroy an award winning small business and one that is the staple of the 17th Street neighborhood. When small businesses are attacked in this manner it hurts our neighborhoods, our real estate values and our city’s revenue. Hank’s owner and Chef Jamie Leeds has asked for community support– and we stand by her whole heartedly. We have three ways you can help support Hank’s.
1) Email ABRA Head Fred Moosally, Councilmember Jack Evans, Councilmember Jim Graham, and Mayor Vincent Gray. Ask for a swift resolution to the ABC Board’s work regarding Hank’s Oyster Bar. Here they are:
ABRA: fred.moosally@dc.gov
Councilmember: Jack Evans: jevans@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Jim Graham: jgraham@dccouncil.us
Mayor Vincent Gray: eom@dc.gov
2) Sign up and show up to testify on Wednesday at 4:00 pm at the ABC Board hearing on Hank’s. The hearing will take place at – 2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 400S, Washington, DC 20009. You can call the ABRA office at (202) 442-4423 for more information.
3) Please go to Hank’s and patronize the establishment ASAP to help recover some lost revenue and to pay for continuing legal fees. For more information on Hank’s visit their website at www.hanksoysterbar.com.
It is time for both businesses and residents to stand up together and support Hank’s and abolish archaic laws that no longer apply to our growing development in DC. This absurd reaction by a small few shows the continued failure of those in power to find more collaborative ways to work towards compromise between business and residents. When small businesses are attacked in this manner we hurt our neighborhoods and our city’s revenue. Please stand tall and firm and use YOUR voice today! Lastly, many thanks to each and every person that has already reached out to their networks on behalf of Jamie Leeds and Hank’s. Keep the momentum going!
Sincerely,
Lee Granados | President
Stephen Rutgers | Vice President
Jack Jacobson | Secretary
Jon Caley | Treasurer
Celina Gerbic | At Large
Wes Mosser | At Large
Brandt Ricca | Communications
Urban Neighborhood Alliance | www.unadc.org
