Centro-Fly co-owner, David Baxley, on the antiquated cabaret law that prevents unlicensed bars and clubs from allowing patrons to dance:
"The cabaret law itself is absurd. It's totalitarian. Two years ago the only places it was illegal to dance were Manhattan and Afghanistan. And now you can dance in Afghanistan,"
Lotus is zoned for the cabaret laws and most of its competitors aren't. Lotus owner, David Rabin, in keeping with the Unfair-Rules-Are-Okay-As-Long-As-They-Benefit-Me code of ethics so popular with a number of minor third-world dictators, the occasional former national security advisor, and a not-insignificant number of Fortune 50 CEOs, supports them.
Not that it matters. Lotus isn't profitable and you can smell the desperation (and the b-list social climbers) for miles. It's O-Ver.
The Safety Dance [Village Voice]