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Versus Returning, Craby Joes Becomes Haven and Yojie Bringing Shabu Shabu to South Park

By Eric Richardson
Published: Wednesday, April 22, 2009, at 12:09PM
Versus Eric Richardson []

A February photo shows restoration work on the historic doors of the 1931 Stock Exchange building, home to Versus.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Versus nightclub could reopen this summer with new ownership, but first it must complete its navigation through the waters of amending the venue's complicated Conditional Use Permit (CUP). Kate Bartolo is representing the venue, and she appeared last night before DLANC's Planning committee to ask the neighborhood council's support for the project.

Also on the agenda were the conversion of former dive Craby Joe's into a new neighborhood bar named Haven and Yojie, a restaurant and sake bar that plans to offer shabu shabu at the corner of Olympic and Grand.

Versus

Located in the historic Stock Exchange building at 618 S. Spring, Versus opened in October of 2008 after a $2 million renovation to the building. "Opened" may be the wrong way to put it, though. After only a handful of events in the space, the venue was shut down for a laundry list of building permit and CUP issues.

The original ownership group went into bankruptcy, and the venue was purchased in December by the owners of a sports and entertainment firm based in Sherman Oaks. They've since put another $500,000 into the space, and Bartolo has spent the last four months sorting out the permit situation. Still left is the CUP, which waits on a Zoning Administrator hearing that Bartolo said likely won't take place until June.

The revived Versus plans to focus on private special events, with one or two nights of nightclub operation. The 17,000 square foot club's hours of operation will be from 7pm to 3am, with an occupancy of roughly 1000. Neighbors will be pleased to hear that there will be no outside queuing -- the line to enter the club will be located inside, in the lobby.

Haven

Bartolo also represented Haven, a small bar slated to replace Craby Joe's, the 1933 Main street dive bar made famous by Charles Bukowski. New operator Fairfax Partners runs and in West Hollywood and on Fairfax.

On the exterior, a rendering shows the existing facade with an Old English-style H for signage. Inside, plans are for a 1940's lounge aesthetic with leather upholstery and chandelier lighting. The space at 656 S. Main is 1,645 square feet.

Yojie

Down in South Park, plans to bring Japanese fondue and sake to the northwest corner of Olympic and Grand. The restaurant takes over the Fusion Cafe space at 501 W. Olympic, a 2,500 square foot space that will hold 60 seats and a bar. The site will be the second location for the chain-to-be, which first opened in Artesia two years ago.

The restaurant will offer both shabu shabu and sukiyaki cooking, and plans to be open late into the evening seven days a week. The firm appeared before DLANC to ask support for its application for a Beer and Wine license.

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Conversation

Guest 1

RIP Craby Joes on April 22, 2009, at 02:33PM – #1

One by one, bars for blue collar / poor people disappear downtown.

Yeah, we need another lounge.


() on April 22, 2009, at 04:08PM – #2

haha japanese fondue.


Guest 2

benjamin on April 22, 2009, at 04:42PM – #3

i still freaking love that door!


Guest 3

Ankur on April 22, 2009, at 04:59PM – #4

Nothing to go up top? What a waste of awesome space upstairs.


Guest 4

Jeremy Hansen on April 23, 2009, at 11:33AM – #5

I can officially go kill myself now. Thanks downtown for fucking up everything I loved about being downtown.

Hipster 1: "Oh yeah...I heard this bar used to be a real dive. I heard that people who actually live on the street used to come here as opposed to us hipsters who like to try to look like we live on the street but live in $2500 lofts."

Hipster 2: "What do you think of my scarf?"

Hipster 3: "My art is sooooo genuine and important."

Hipster 4: "I think I need a new bed because my bed head hair just isn't coming out right."

Hipster 5: "It's funny how we look poor, but we pay $8 for a Pabst."


Guest 5

oscar on April 23, 2009, at 01:10PM – #6

Nightclubs su**, they only attract trashy people and show-off's, yes, you know, those idiots with the expensive sports car that can barely afford to pay, and you know that they can barely afford to pay them because if they had any money left they would buy some nice clothes (and no, I don't mean ed hardy) or spend some money in personal image.

I've been to all of them, tatto, 740, mayan, even elevate. There is always a fight, my average it's been 2 fights per visit.

I've also visited the stock exchange, architecturally it's a really nice place to visit, however as a nightclub it gives me the creeps, specially if they're going to stuff 1000 people in there, just doesn't have enpough emergency exits. A fire or an earthquake (the unmentionable word in downton) and the place will be doomed.

Please take nightclubs out of downtown, leave them in Hollywood or Longbeach.

The only piece of good news is that at least they are going to form those long lines of people that give the impression that place is packed, at the lobby.

Another great addition could be to have the smoking lounge in the terrace (rooftop of the exchange floor) rather than in the parking lot by the giant rats (no I don't mean politicians I mean literal giant rats) which you might think they're cats at first but will bite your hand and infect you with rabies as you try to pet them...

Dave; I agree... lol... Benjamin; The door is absolutely awesome! And Jeremy; you're hilarious and right on!

BTW; you might be wondering if I hate nightclubs so much how is it that I've visited them all? Well I don't hate nightclubs I just don't like that they attract so much trashy people, and I also try to visit every place in downtown regardless.


() on April 23, 2009, at 05:52PM – #7

@oscar dude if they wanted to get the rooftop in smoking-area-shape they would need to fix the elevators. i don't see that happening, that's expensive. i walked up to the roof once and took some pictures, pretty cool up there. started out in the basement:


Guest 6

Brandon Finch on April 23, 2009, at 06:20PM – #8

I find it interesting that some would even consider that a vacant, dark, boarded up building is better for downtown than letting a space reveal it's secrets inside. Buildings downtown were built to be loved and appreciated, long before any of us ever arrived here. Downtown is still changing, and as all places that change, there may very well be a day a when the Bladerunner Downtown that some still dream about will finally arrive. I just want to live, work, and play, (and share) Downtown, don't you?


Guest 1

Hipster 6 on April 24, 2009, at 11:38AM – #9

"Yeah and then I, like, blogged about it and like, Twittered it, and then like got totally fucked up at Bore 107 with my homies cuz we're like in the hood and like, stuff."


Guest 7

Hipster 7 on April 25, 2009, at 05:41PM – #10

What is Versus proposing to do about parking and soundproofing?


Eric Richardson () on April 25, 2009, at 06:58PM – #11

They have their 250 valet spaces contracted with a lot by 7th/Main (next to Deardens, I believe). Kate was very willing to commit to sound tests inside the adjacent City Lofts, and to work through any issues there.


Guest 4

Jeremy Hansen on April 28, 2009, at 03:06PM – #12

At least the downtown Comedy club is going into "The Exchange". That's something I can deal with. Do we need another hipster bar? I don't think so.

Is there a place for those of us more concerned with getting wasted in a dark bar with cheap drinks, pissed off at the world and content with doing absolutely nothing about it, as opposed to just looking cool and trying to find our niche within the lexicon of ironic living, i.e. hipster "culture"?

Is there no value in solitude?

The problem I think is money, which I can understand. People see dollars and hipsters have money. Oh, sure, your hipster friend seems to never have money, but yet somehow he/she continues to get by. Well, they're artists you know. They "suffer" for their ART! But we all know the difference between a hipster and someone who is actually working hard to get by is the hipster always has that life line to Daddy to kick in a little bit of cheddar so they never have to truly compromise to bring their ART to the masses of other pretentious mediocre wannabes.

I suggest the hipsters reading this take some time to check out http://diehipster.com.


Guest 8

Justin Molinari on May 12, 2009, at 05:13PM – #13

Downtown revitalization backlash is something to be expected as gentrification of any area brings mixed feelings. Overall I have to agree with brandon in that anyone posting negative comments about abandoned spaces being utilized and enjoyed by a mixed group of people is simply pathetic.


Guest 1

No more lounges on May 12, 2009, at 06:58PM – #14

Damn, people, enough with the lounges. Saturation point has been reached. And enough bars fronting as "dive bars" like 107. Bullshit.


Guest 7

Public Hearing on May 15, 2009, at 08:34PM – #15

ZA 95-0830(CUB)(PA3)

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 10:00 A.M.

City Hall Room 1020

Application: Versus Nightlife (612 & 618 S. Spring St.)

Approval of Plans

The approved hours of operation for the nightclub use is 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday-Thursday and 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday-Saturday with dancing and music to cease at 2:45 a.m. The applicant is proposing to continue the hours of operation with the exception of closing at 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday in lieu of a 6 a.m. closing.

Related Case at 10:30 a.m. Case No. Dir (RV)(PA1)

"Note: The property owner in this subject Plan Approval application attests that as no complaints have been made to any governmental agency regarding any aspect of the new operation or ownership of the existing nightclub...the owner/application request the deletion of all conditions and the dismissal of nuisance abatement action (DIR (RV)) as applicable to the operation of a nightclub use."

"Previous allegations include activities on the site which have adversely impacted nearby residential and commercial uses jeopardizing and/or endangering the public health and safety or persons residing or working on the premises or in the surrounding area, thereby constituting a public nuisance. Complaints allege that there had been numerous criminal acts including assault with deadly weapon, misdemeanor battery, sex offenses, sexual battery, drug induced rape, possession of narcotic controlled substance, burglary and grand theft. These activities have contributed to the physical deterioration of the adjacent community and impacted the quality of life for those residing in the area."


Guest 9

Oscar on May 16, 2009, at 07:51PM – #16

I agree! No more lounges, bars or nightclubs PLEASE~!!!

What our community really needs is a whorehouse, when are those dumassses at the city hall really going to pay attention to the true vital needs of our community?!!!



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