WESTOVER BEER GARDEN
February 10th, 2011 Posted in NewsPlease plan to attend a community forum to discuss the Westover Beer Garden on March 8 at 7pm in the Westover Library. The Beer Garden is working with the county government to resolve the various issues associated with continuing this much-loved Westover institution. Once its plans are in place, it will go before the county board for final approval, probably in April or May. The idea of the forum is for all members of the community to come together to agree on common positions regarding the beer garden. One issue we have discussed is how the noise from the garden affects the immediate neighbors. The forum will seek to find compromise solutions to all issues so that hopefully the four civic associations surrounding it can present a united front of community support to the county board, based on consensus agreement, to keep the beer garden going while ensuring that it maintains good relations with its immediate neighbors.
19 Responses to “WESTOVER BEER GARDEN”
By Brenda Heaster on Feb 12, 2011
I take issue with “much loved Westover institution.” The place is noisy; it is not kept clean and is an eyesore. I’ve walked by and seen trash sitting out on the tables from the night before. One Sunday morning, a man was dozing on a bench in the beer garden. I don’t think the Westover Market has the appropriate infrastructure to support a restaurant/bar function. I also don’t think an open beer garden is consistent with the family atmosphere of our Westover business area.
By Liz Crawford on Feb 23, 2011
In response to Brenda, have you actually ever patronized the beer garden? It is usually filled with young families: parents enjoying a good beer with friends, while their kids dance and play to the great local bands. The beer garden is unique and is a great benefit to Westover and to Arlington.
Obviously not everyone is going to appreciate it, but there should be a discussion on how it can contiue, including having live music. I am sure there are compromises that can make it better, for example, the owners need to make sure it is kept clean, and music should end by an agreed upon hour on week nights.
The beer garden is such a great place for neighbors to hang out and for local bands to get exposure. It is almost like having a block party every weekend, except without any planning, and a great local business is supported.
By New Generation on Feb 23, 2011
SAVE THE BEER GARDEN! I grew up in Westover, and now that I’m older I am proud that there is a place I can bring my friends for a nice social evening outside! DON’T TAKE THIS AWAY FROM US!
By "Dozing Man" on Feb 23, 2011
Brenda, how can you blame the “dozing man” on the Beer Garden? It’s not like they were open and operating early on a Sunday morning, so if he was in fact drunk (as you just assumed) I doubt it had ANYTHING to do with the Beer Garden. Westover has ALWAYS had benches outside, why don’t you start blaming the Bench Society of America?
By O. Bin Laden on Feb 23, 2011
I think Brenda has a point.
By k. jong-il on Feb 23, 2011
I also think Brenda has a point. The 3 of us should do lunch sometime..
By Blake Bowen on Feb 23, 2011
I am a third generation Westover native, and find the Beer Garden to be an ingenious solution for a formerly dead space. The area where it now sits used to be a windswept pass-through between parking lots. Garbage and loiterers were far more common then.
The use of the term “eyesore” seems needlessly incendiary, as this is an active space decorated with twinkling lights and colorful murals by talented local artists. The music is occasional, and seems to generate much enjoyment for neighborhood families and their children (the usual clientele during my visits). My parents live directly behind the Library on 18th Street and have never once had an issue with noise.
The Beer Garden was never intended as a raucous, rowdy watering hole for college students and young adults. It’s a festive gathering place for the entire community; a town square.
By J.J. on Feb 23, 2011
My husband and I have lived in this area for many years, and we love the Beer Garden. I enjoy seeing lots of families with young children there on beautiful afternoons. Where else can you go in the area that allows children to play while the parents socialize with other parents? The Beer Garden even supplies toys and items to help keep the kids occupied, and the fenced area helps keep them contained. I hope they can find a way to satisfy noise concerns. But I think, overall, they keep things pretty much picked up and tidy.
By Kim Person on Feb 23, 2011
I am a huge supporter of the Beer Garden and the vitality that it brings to our Westover area. It is a family/community meeting meeting spot – I’ve lived in this area for over 20 years and have met more neighbors at the beer garden whom I now know and can stop and chat with on a regular basis! Blake – you are correct – it is truly our Westover Town Square!
The Beer Garden is a thriving small business and should be totally supported by the community and the county. We need more original small and successful businesses to maintain the unique character of Arlington.
Brenda – you certainly have a valid concern regarding the sleeping man – but remember when the post office was open 24/7…because folks were sleeping inside they starting locking the building at 7pm. I do think the beer garden folks are trying very hard to keep things neat and tidy but there is no way to “lock” the beer garden after they close. The morning trash could easily be left by others late at night.
To all – please attend the Beer Garden meeting on March 8th to discuss how we can keep this amazing business open – there will be several of us from this civic association and the other three CA’s bordering Westover, in addition to the owner of the Beer Garden.
By Save the beer garden on Feb 23, 2011
Brenda is the type of person who yells at kids who play on her lawn and who does not like to see others enjoy themselves. I have spent time at the beer garden with my friends and their families and the environment was nothing but enjoyable. I guess we might as well shut down lost dog also. Right Brenda? Save the beer garden. Oh and Brenda, enjoy your lunch with Osama and k-Jong. Il.
By Muskrat on Feb 23, 2011
Blake Bowen is an eligible bachelor ladies and gentlemen. Let’s grab our “save the beer garden” t shirts and make a stand.
By Lloyd Bell on Feb 23, 2011
I don’t know where the Westover Beer Garden is other than in the vicinity of the library. I live a mile away. It sounds like a community issue, but it needs to comply with Arlington laws. Some people prefer wine and quiet over beer and music. I like both. Live and let live, respectfully.
By Rita Thompson on Feb 23, 2011
Whoa! I feel obligated to come to Brenda’s defense. I do not share the same love the rest of you have for the this bar. I have been to the bar a couple of times during the summer and frankly the charm many of you experience is lost on me. I was particularly put off by the children who were not being watched as their parents “socialized”. Secondly the overflow to the benches and wall by the Post Office seemed to increase over the summer. Not eveyone in this community thinks an open air bar is an assest that does not make them evil. That said, on the positive I would tend to think it brings additional customers to the other businesses on the block. However, their failure to obtain any of permits required to operate says a great deal about them. I cannot help but wonder about the way they run their base business. I travel by this place 4-5 times a week during my early morning walks and I agree with Brenda it is a mess. In fact earlier this year the ACFD paid a visit to their setup because a) they did not put the fire out in one of their pits the previous night or b) some homeless folks used the area at night. Either way they need to take better care of the place at night.
By Adam clark on Feb 24, 2011
Rita: the beer garden can not control who sleeps there after close. There is not a 24-hr patrol. Also as Blake mentioned, before the beer garden was established, that area was more prone to loitering and a few nightly nappers. They are trying to provide the community with entertainment that is not currently available in the area. These small family-owned establishments are a dime-a-dozen these days and need to be protected.
By Burt on Feb 24, 2011
Why is the Beer Garden cash only???? Have they been paying their taxes/meal taxes on that money like all other resturuants are required to do ? or do they get around it because they are a grocery store not a bar ? If they start playing by the same rules all the other bars have to do then more power to them …..get the permits first not after you already open..and good luck hope it does well small family/locally owned places are awesome
By George D. McMurphy on Feb 24, 2011
Hello. My name is George. I like the fire hydrant at the bear garden and that hot chick band that plays there on the last Thursday of every month.
By Kim Person on Feb 26, 2011
Hey Burt -
My guess is that the the Beer Garden takes cash only because the cost of accepting credit cards is high and the cost to install a dedicated phone line outside for credit cards is also expensive. The line to order and pay on weekends can be quite long – cash is much faster to deal with than credit cards and is much cheaper – it has nothing to do with taxes.
And thanks for your understanding on small family/locally run businesses…they are tough to run and tough to make and keep profitable! We love them – and want to keep them growing in Arlington!
By AJR on Mar 11, 2011
Long live Westover Market Beer Garden