Community Demands City Hall Shut Down Kloud Tequila Grill

Hundreds of local parents, children, and business owners joined elected officials and members of the Auburndale Northern Association in calling for City Hall to shut down Kloud Tequila Grill (Silk Hookah Lounge LLC) at a community rally in front of the out-of-control bar at 192-08 Northern Boulevard, Queens, New York.

“Kloud Tequila Grill is destroying our neighborhood and putting our safety at risk,” stated Theodora Tsourapis, President of Auburndale Northern Association. “Ever since Kloud Tequila Grill opened, my family’s life has been a living nightmare. We can’t sleep because of the loud music and screaming until 5 am every day. The constant noise, drag racing, garbage, and sexual activity right outside our home is affecting our health and neighborhood safety. Even though they are operating without a liquor license, none of our many 311 complaints or calls to the police have made a difference. City Hall must shut down Kloud Tequila Grill now!”

Auburndale Northern is a civic association representing hundreds of local residents and small business owners in the neighborhood surrounding the block between Northern Boulevard and 45th Avenue (north-south) and 192nd and 193rd streets (east-west) in Queens, New York. Auburndale Northern is a member of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce.

"Business owners have a responsibility to be good neighbors and to treat everyone in the community with respect," stated John Choe, Executive Director of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce. "Clearly, Kloud Tequila Grill has failed to act responsibly and has lost the confidence of our community. The State Liquor Authority must revoke their license and City Hall must shut down Kloud!"

At the rally, witnesses spoke about the numerous safety violations at Kloud Tequila Grill (Silk Hookah Lounge LLC), including the illegal sale of alcohol without a license, sale of alcohol to intoxicated patrons, loud music, littering and vermin, public urination, the construction of unsafe building structures, drag racing, violations of COVID-19 executive orders, and public sex acts. These incidents take place on a daily basis, seven days a week, much of it occurring from midnight to 3 AM in the morning, over the past eight months, and constitute a pattern of disregard for the safety and quality of life of the surrounding community.

“I represent one of many small businesses on this block. We are concerned about the way Kloud Tequila Grill is conducting their business,” stated Dosung Andrew Jung, owner of Northern Pharmacy. “Everyday we find garbage, vomit, empty liquor bottles scattered around the block. Our safety is put at risk with drag racing by intoxicated patrons. Our quality of life is ruined with unacceptable noise from Kloud Tequila Grill and sex acts inside parked cars at night. We demand City Hall shut down Kloud Tequila Grill now!”

Despite numerous 311 complaints, photographs, video and eyewitness accounts, City Hall has failed to take action.

“Kloud Tequila Grill is an irresponsible business that allows customers to bring alcohol outside and drink in our neighborhood, urinate and vomit in front of our stores, and trash our sidewalks. The owner does not clean up after his customers, builds illegal structures, and has little regard for the safety of our community,” stated Jessica Shim, CEO of Café Auburndale, which is located adjacent to Kloud Tequila Grill. “The pandemic has already devastated our business community. This irresponsible, unsafe, and out-of-control bar is adding to our suffering. We must shut down Kloud Tequila Grill now!”

Local residents and business owners were joined by elected officials, Senator John Liu and Assemblyman Assemblyman Edward Braunstein; members of the Auburndale Northern Association, including Jimmy Papageorgiou, Vice President of Auburndale Northern Association; Byung Kang, Owner of Kanghan Medical Service; Angela Jung, Owner of Northern Pharmacy; Hyun Lee, Owner of Northern FedEx; Arkadiy Akilov, Owner of Al's Barber Shop; Nam Bok Kim, Owner of JK Hair; Alex Han, property owner.