March 11, 2016 By Christian Murray
An Astoria strip club that has been linked to a series of violent incidents—including the shooting of a livery driver earlier this month—has been temporarily shut down.
Club Purlieu, located at 36-04 34th St., was closed Thursday night after the 114th Precinct and various City agencies conducted an inspection.
Capt. Peter Fortune, the commanding officer of the 114th Precinct, said it was the Department of Consumer Affairs that found multiple violations and ordered temporary closure of the notorious club.
The DCA could not be reached as of press time.
Several elected leaders are using this temporary closure as a means to bring attention to a recent spate of violence and are calling for it to be permanently closed.
“This is the exact type of business we don’t need,” State Sen. Mike Gianaris said. “It’s dangerous and ruins the quality [of life] of nearby residents and office workers.”
The club made headlines when a livery driver was shot in the head on March 4 shortly after dropping off four passengers at the club.
The passengers got into an argument in the club, jumped in his cab and shots were fired, hitting the driver.
Last year, a brawl erupted at the club that was a gang-related incident where three people were stabbed.
The incident was sparked by a fight between members affiliated with the Crips and Bloods and ultimately spilled out onto the sidewalk, the Queens Chronicle reported at the time.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer said he will hold a rally Monday at 9:30 a.m. to call for the closure of the club.
He will call on the State Liquor Authority to revoke the club’s liquor license and request that the NYPD’s office of Citywide Club Enforcement shut down the establishment based on its violent history.
Club Purlieu’s owner could not immediately be reached.
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11 Comments
Demand equals supply. Its a two way process. If people will come and someones profits then it is never ending.
Supply and demand are fine but once your business puts the life and liberty of your neighbors at risk it is time to pack up and go.
Crips and Bloods on 36th Avenue in 11106????? Oh no way, can’t be!!!!!
Jimmy Van Bramer you need to put up your dukes and pull out all the stops. This place does not belong here. It was a family style Greek Restaurant for a while and then the owner sold it to Purlieu????????
What the freak is a Purlieu????????????
Simotas, Costantinidis and Giannaris and Maloney have to help Van Bramer, tax paying home owners and tenants do not deserve this at all. All elected officials have to step up to the plate and do the right thing now or else don’t expect my vote again
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This place just looks shady – no windows, that big Purlieu sign just went up a couple of weeks ago so you couldn’t really tell what it was at all.
Back in the day this was an air conditioning repair place, brought many a window unit in to get tested and recharged.
In 2016 this makes a nice spot for condos or office space with some good retail or restaurants at street level. Already have some pretty decent restaurants on the 36 Ave strip.
We need to not allow anymore cabaret licenses in Astoria. Nightclubs and strip clubs always have some type of issue. We don’t need anymore violence in this neighborhood. Enough is enough!
I hope the closure is permanent- this club and the element it attracts threatens the safety of the neighborhood residents and businesses.
Good news! It was about time! We’re been frightened to also be victim of violence everytime we walked near this club. Thanks to the authorities and leaders of the community who are looking into this situation.
We need to build luxury condos at location so these types of businesses stay away.
Not luxury condos but maybe something more productive to the neighborhood like a library.
Burn this building to the ground and ship these hoodlums to New Jersey where they belong.