Oldest roasting company in NYC forced to close by city due to smoke smell

[Paul]

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/200...to-gillies-ne.html

can a local confirm this? it all sounds a bit silly.

[fredfal]

The way I read the article, the owners decided to pay the fine after protesting it for years. I don't see anything about them closing shop.

[Paul]

fred,

you're very right. I read this far too fast with far too little coffee on hand

<slinks quietly away, humming 'new york, new york'>

[Alan Frew]

OK, I've resisted joining HB, Coffeed and a zillion other sites because I just don't have the time to argue about stuff I was fiercely debating 10 years ago anymore, but this is DON!

That is, for all you ignorant so-and-sos that have no sense of history, Donald Schoenholt, co-founder and past president of the SCAA, i840coffee on alt.coffee (and I have every single one of his posts archived), the guy who republished Ukers "All About Coffee", unending fount of USA coffee history because he and his great great grandfathers have been busy creating it. Line up 20 serious online coffee professionals and hobbyists (Schulman, you're on the left, Schecter can anchor the right, us fat guys (Fuss, Frew, Jarrett, Al) in the middle, Don walks out and it's "WE are not worthy" time, followed by "write the *#$@* book!"

Seriously, Gillies has been screwed over by a corrupt "local government" IMHO. They weren't cited for roasting smoke, particulates or carcinogenic coffee tars in the dumpster, but because of the "smell of roasted and ground coffee" emanating from their front door, as if every Starbucks in NYC didn't smell exactly the same. I strongly suspect that an adequate danegeld to the inspector who cited them (and his superiors) would have resulted in a vanished complaint, but Don is about the most honest guy you'll ever meet. Hopefully inflation has reduced the impact of the fine on Gillies business, but realistically there should never even have been a fine in the first place.

Alan

[Paul]

Alan,

nice to see you've joined. Albeit in a fit of frothy rage . I use to enjoy reading your posts on alt.coffee way back when.

[bernie]

Good to see you here, Alan. Its a nice neighborhood.
Bernie

[AndyS]

OK, I've resisted joining HB

Alan, it is good to see you here...almost as good as hearing from a newbie who makes his/her way over to your site, pokes around for a while, and then marvels at how much really good information is archived there!

[HB]

...and then marvels at how much really good information is archived there!

Indeed, for example, Alan's Inside Domestic Espresso Machines does a great job explaining what "better materials and workmanship" means in easily understandable terms. I also appreciate Alan's no-nonsense language, such as:

Pressurized portafilters and pressurized filter baskets come in many guises, but they basically have a single purpose: to allow the customer to get the appearance of acceptable crema from stale, poorly ground supermarket coffee.

Well said!