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Brew-Ha-Ha No More for Naples
Alcohol sales to minors provoke state to revoke license
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Business New Haven
3/18/2002
By: Linda Mele
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Legendary Yale hangout Naples Pizza & Restaurant lost its liquor license for good last month after its owner failed to pay a $12,500 fine stemming from the Wall Street establishment's most recent run-in with the state's Liquor Control Commission.
In October, the popular eatery had its license suspended for 75 days after commission agents found the restaurant was illegally selling liquor to minors. In addition to the suspension, which began in January, Naples was hit with a fine, which, if paid by December 21, would have brought alcohol back to the pizzeria at the end of this month.
But owner Anthony Prifitera did not pay the fine on time. In fact, he did not pay it at all.
“It is rare that we are faced with such a blatant disregard for a decision of the department and we cannot tolerate such actions by any liquor permittee,” Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Gary Koval said in a memorandum of decision dated February 26.
Prifitera contacted the commission on January 3 - nearly two weeks after the deadline's expiration - and requested to pay the fine in three installments. The commission denied Prifitera's request and subsequently revoked his liquor license permanently.
Although Prifitera said the authorities were just doing their job, his lawyer, Peter Ressler, said that the commission's unwillingness to cooperate was unfair and that he planned to appeal the decision in state Superior Court.
In the meantime, Prifitera will have to figure out to turn the now-dry restaurant into an Eli favorite once again. Without beer, that might be easier said than done.
“It's clear that the party scene is not here since we lost the alcohol,” Prifitera told the Yale Daily News. “If they want to drink, kids will find somewhere else to do it, and they won't come here.”
“The commission takes a firm stance on the selling of alcohol to minors, and when someone blatantly doesn't pay their fine, the commission takes a further stance,” said Maria Delaney, the director of the DCP's Liquor Control Division. “Behavior like Mr. Prifitera's forces us to take action.”
Prifitera said he plans to make several improvements over the summer to return the pizzeria to prominence on the Yale social scene.
“I've got some ideas, and by September I think I'll have things cooking again,” Prifitera said.
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