Rappaport Retail Report

The daunting task of negotiating the maze of city agencies has gotten easier. As reported in the New York Times article of December 28, 2010, before opening, a new food business might have to face up to 11 different departments, and secure up to 30 different permits, registrations, licenses, and certificates, and pass 23 inspections. The New Business Acceleration Team helps new restaurateurs through the jungle of the permitting process.

According to administration officials, the 200 establishments serviced so far, have opened, on average, 10 weeks faster than planned. Nice, considering how little free time is often offered in a new lease. Currently the team is comprised of four inspectors, plus supervisors from agencies that issue permits, like the Depart of Health, Department of Buildings, Fire Department and Landmarks. The hope is that at one point there will be a single restaurant license that would replace all others. A long range goal is something like a Mayor’s Office of Hospitality.

NBAT works with qualifying businesses to schedule and coordinate most required inspections and, when appropriate, to schedule multi-agency inspections on the same day. For example, NBAT works with the Bureau of Fire Prevention to ensure the timely submission of plans and equipment documentation as well as provide inspections regarding range hood devices and other hazardous installations. NBAT inspectors are also trained to conduct Department of Environmental Protection grease interceptor inspections ensuring that grease traps are correctly sized to handle grease discharged by cooking and kitchen equipment. NBAT works with the Depart of Health to ensure that all food service establishments are properly permitted and operating safely. NBAT, and the Department of Buildings, work together to ensure the safe and lawful use of buildings and properties while facilitating the issuance of Certificates of Occupancy and Place of Assembly permits.

The ideal participants in this program are generally; new restaurants, bars, bakeries or butcher shops seating 50 people or less. Qualifying bars must serve food. However Batali’s mammoth Eataly found a way to be serviced. While a new venture, it is hardly a small place, and ownership is hardly inexperienced. As always, there is a way around certain limiting requirements. Therefore I suggest all who are opening a new food business to seek this valuable help. For complete information, as well links to the specific city agencies involved, go to: http://www.nyc.gov/html/nbat/html/about/about.shtml

Good luck- get picked and get open quick.

Get ready for the best new concept since Mac and Cheese elevated to cult status a few years back. Sources say that soon, Nocavore, the ultimate reaction to food pretension poised as politics, will be ready to go, in an undisclosed, downtown location. Promising “Nothing Nearby, Nothing Natural, Never” they hope to be a Mecca for the many recoiling from food as foreign policy.

Ingredients from the best brands will be represented, the real heirlooms; Kraft American cheese, canned fruit from Dole, and Ham from Hormel. The menu is yet to be announced, but Spam will be in there somewhere for sure.

Nocavore promises a refreshing return to simple dining. It looks to be a huge success. After all people vote with their feet, and resent being told what to eat.

Liquor License Self-Certification to End.

Bureaucrats reverse logic “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” becomes “if it succeeds suspend it”

Dennis Rosen, SLA chairman, recently announced that the phenomenally successful self-certification program for liquor license applications will end as of June 30th. The backlog of licenses was reduced from 2116 last October, to 817 this month. Waiting time for approval in New York City is now less than three months for most applicants. This proved to be a major boon to restaurateurs seeking to start new places. Speedy approval helped solve the recurring landlord tenant leasing conundrum of liquor license contingency. This helps deals get done and new businesses to open. And of course gives a nice shot in the arm to the City’s economy.

The logic for terminating something that worked so well is a fine example of governmental doublespeak and trepidation. Mr. Rosen cited critics who felt that it “created a two-tier system to fast-track applications only from those who were represented by lawyer” Quite democratic, sacrificing the good of the probably 90% of those who use a lawyer, to the few who can’t, or won’t, hire one. Opening a restaurant is a business decision about capital expenditure. It should not fall under the auspicious of a social services viewpoint. Concern for helping those without access to proper funding falls to other city agencies.

Hopefully, other newly implemented measures might keep the backlog from rebuilding. According to an article in the Times, these include “the appointment of an internal auditor at the authority, and the assignment of examiners who prescreen applications for missing information — kicking them out quickly for re-application — as well as a redesign of the authority’s intake process requiring fewer examiners to review each application. In addition, a new system to electronically receive required photographs of restaurants — and the fingerprints of the owners — will remain”

Mr. Rosen did offer hope that the program might be re-introduced, but only “if government furloughs or layoffs “or other policies are implemented due to the budget crisis that might impact our ability to get our work done — then we could re-institute the certification process,” Perhaps this might offer him a way to rescind a quite ill advised decision to terminate a very positive program that helped so many in the restaurant and real estate industry.