BY COLLEEN LUTOLF
Staff Writer
WOODBRIDGE — Club Sleep is now closed.
“About two weeks ago we were notified by the property owner that they changed the locks on the property,” Municipal Clerk John Mitch said last week.
Mitch said the club’s liquor license had been returned to his office.
“I do have the license,” he said. “The license was removed from the property.”
Attorney John Cassese represents the property owner, Sahoder, Inc. He confirmed the club is no longer operating but would not say under what circumstances the club was closed.
“This is ongoing litigation,” Cassese said. “I do not believe it is operating. There are discussions of other matters between [co-owner Andrew] Adelman and the landlord.”
In October, Adelman stood before the Township Council that was acting in its capacity as the local ABC (Alcohol Beverage Control) board to answer charges for what police described as a “riot” that began on the club’s property and spilled onto the properties of several township businesses in July.
The incident resulted in several ABC violations against the club, including allowing or permitting a brawl, and allowing a licensed place of business to become a nuisance.
Two administrative charges were also issued the evening of the melee, including failure to post a current liquor license and failure to post a list of employees with their contact information.
Adelman, who owned the club with Robert Wattman, of New York City, settled with the township.
The settlement stipulated the business must be sold or contracted to be sold to an unrelated third party by March 10, 2005. A 10-day suspension of the club’s liquor license was also part of the settlement.
Before closing, the club did not finish serving the required 10-day suspension, Mitch said.
“The goal was to have the club no longer operate in Woodbridge,” Mitch said. “That extra days’ suspension was part of the agreement. Ultimately … the township prevails. They closed five months ahead of schedule.”
Robert G. Stahl, Adelman’s attorney during the ABC hearing, said he had no information regarding the club’s closing.
Cassese would not comment on any possible future leases of the property.