Politics & Government

Campbell Allows The Spot to Have Live Entertainment

Campbell City Council give The Spot six months to have live entertainment, and Campbell residents weigh in on facebook.

Very few seats were open at last night's Campbell City Council meeting.

On the agenda were big topics:

  • The of parcel, which includes about 1,000 homes in unincorporated Santa Clara County parcel.
  • The proposal by to have live entertainment.
  • The dissolution of the Campbell Redevelopment Agency.

Campbell Patch live blogged the night's activity via its facebook page and a lively conversation ensued.

Find out what's happening in Campbellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After more than two hours going over what started as a consent calendar item, the council approved The Spot's application, with a few changes:

  • Thursday through Saturday from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. instead of 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
  • Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Wednesday 7 p.m.-11 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.- 1 a.m.
  • The ability to recind the live entertainment permit if a significant number of calls are made to Campbell Police or the establishment is deemed a public nuisance.

The council agreed to test this for six months and at the end of this, meet again with PD and the owners to see how things went.

Find out what's happening in Campbellwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here is the feed from last night's meeting pertaining to The Spot:

7:30 p.m.

Campbell Patch Everyone's out for tonight's city council meeting

  • Dutchess Melanie likes this.
  • Dutchess Melanie Wow! Full house tonight.

7:35 p.m.

Campbell Patch Will be live blogging tonight's event, so tune in!

  • 8 people like this.
    • Javier Marquez Myra it was nice meeting you today....talk to you soon
    • Deb Rohzen Thank you!
    • Dutchess Melanie We are here.....lots of speakers....The SPOT has many in support

7:38 p.m.

Campbell Patch Strong support for The Spot tonight. Several people speaking on their behalf.

  • Dutchess Melanie likes this.
    • Dutchess Melanie We r here in support!

Campbell Patch ‎"Really was impress with their sincerity trying to provide something to the community. I give my support" Trisha Peterson, Campbell business owner.

Campbell Patch ‎"This would add value not only to their business but to the people that visit Campbell daily," San Jose resident.

Campbell Patch ‎"The food, ambiance at The Spot is top notch, always professional. Did you know that they have the biggest TV in all of Campbell?" --Jenna Gallo

  • Rob Eckaus likes this.
    • Gini Wallace I miss The King's Head. It was THE best bar in Campbell and the live music was always good. The Spot just doesn't cut it and draws a young, douchey (for lack of a better word) crowd. Their bouncers are all steriod addled morons, too. Ambiance?!?!?! The Spot has none...absolutely none. It's gray. What kind of ambiance is that?
    • Dave Molloy I went there once when it was The Kings Head, the food sucked & the beer was terrible....and it bore NO resembelence to an "English" pub...if you want that...go to Trials on 1st St in San Jose
    • Gini Wallace You're right, Dave. The food sucked (I'm a veggie and there was almost nothing there I could eat) and the beer was lukewarm most of the time BUT it was a place I could walk to, listen to GREAT live music and I ALWAYS met nice people there. The management was awesome and it was just a much friendlier place than The Spot.
    • Rob Eckaus Well Gini, support the change and allow them to have bands! I also encourage you to talk to the security staff there. It will change your opinion.
    • Jenna Gallo Gini -Please give The Spot a chance. If you know the owners I think you would agree that they are very nice people. Believe me this decision today allowing live entertainment is going to change everything there. We all want the live music but nobody wants it more than the owners. They were totally screwed when they bought the place. Literally the live entertainment permit was pulled from them right after they bought the place, not even allowing them to open with it! They never intended the place to be operating as it has been, it's totally been out of necessity not want. They have been fighting this for three years and today is huge success! Let's give them a little time to figure this whole thing out. When they do we can clink our beer’s together and dance away to an awesome live band :-)

Campbell Patch ‎"I believe that granting this license will not grant them more freedom but more control."

  • Karen Armbruster likes this.

Campbell Patch ‎"So much potential for dining and entertainment ... This is very good for Campbell and the Spot," --Rob Eckaus.

  • Karen Armbruster likes this.

Campbell Patch ‎"Approve The Spot’s request. I get more hassle from my neighbors than the places downtown," another Campbell business man and downtown resident.

  • 2 people like this.
    • Javier Marquez I think its about time for campbell to give in and let The Spot finally become the premier spot in Downtown Campbell. I could see it now, DJ's from all over wanting to play here
    • Gini Wallace Campbell is way too small for that. Popular DJs already have a spot to play in Campbell at the Cardiff.
    • Rob Eckaus Campbell already has a restaurant too. Why was Aquis allowed to exist?
    • Jenna Gallo Gini, I'm reading all your posts and you certainly are one sided on this whole thing. "They already have a spot to play in Campbell at the Cardiff?" If we follow your directions, there would only be one restaurant, grocery store, clothing store, etc. What about diversity and choices?

Campbell Patch ‎"I want the city to follow its current alcohol policy. I live on Harrison. Patrons are loud, disruptive and recently violent. This is our neighborhood, it’s not a stop in a pub crawl. Listen to our concerns as downtown neighborhood home owners." Neighbor on Harrison.

  • 3 people like this.
    • Sonya Paz Also, listen to the retailers in DT Campbell. We need MORE retail here!

Campbell Patch ‎"It's the late-night hours that are the problem, not the live entertainment. It’s the only establishment that faces out. The noise goes out into the neighborhood." Barry Shilman, DCNA.

Campbell Patch ‎"The downtown is divided into businesses and residential and you have to weigh them equally. We have to be really careful to not have the spillover from the 80s. It was the wild, wild west and you don’t want to return to that." Michael Rocha.

Campbell Patch ‎"I don’t think allowing live entertainment until 2 a.m. is going to add to that tax base." Joe Hernandez.

Campbell Patch ‎"I’m here to support the city staff recommendation of 11 p.m. My biggest concern is what happens in those late hours." Jane Kennedy.

Campbell Patch ‎"I’m against extending the late hours. Once you extend that, you’re going to have others asking for it as well. We need to protect the downtown." Mark.

Campbell Patch ‎"I am one of the closest person that lives right kiddie corner to the spot. Nice to see that they have so much support, but I’m giving you a whole other perspective." Debra Barry.

Campbell Patch ‎"I did build this fence to keep the drunks from throwing up on my lawn and throwing their garbage. I had some kids run into my backyard running from the police. I’ve called 911 on a child that was so drunk he passed out in the middle of the street and a few weeks back, there was a huge fight at the spot, were kicked out of the establishment and continued outside." Barry.

    • Monique Lisa That sucks! I think i know your house. I wonder, when it was the kings head if you had these same types of issues?

Campbell Patch ‎"As a resident of the downtown area, the city’s attention to these matters has been very spotty." Bob Aldereti.

Campbell Patch ‎"I’m not against them having a live entertainment permit but their hours are questionable. They cannot control what happens after the people leave the bar. That’s the problem." Joelle Hernandez.

Campbell Patch ‎"These seem to be out of order to me, since the alcohol policy is up for discussion. Full support of all existing venues, not more stand alone bars." Ed Singstad.

Campbell Patch ‎"Take pride in not only how their business looks but how it operates. Not an easy thing to find." Manager at The Spot.

Campbell Patch ‎"I'm the closest person to The Spot. I wasn’t planning to speak. I walk around the corner, pick up bottles, glasses, papers, might as well call me the trashman. I understand you run a business, but your clientel, once they leave the establishment, you have no control. Anybody else that wants to say anything different, I have a porch. Let’s sit there and see what happens. Come by, I’ve got a couple of chairs for you." A heated resident.

  • Gini Wallace likes this.

Campbell Patch ‎"We get to watch them urinate on the plants before they leave." Another downtown resident.

Campbell Patch ‎"I’m overwhelmed because of so many people talking about negative stuff. I take this serious. " Aaron Crites, co-owner of The Spot.

Campbell Patch ‎"To be honest, we feel a little discriminated against." Crites.

  • Javier Marquez likes this.

Campbell Patch ‎"...All security guards are trained and have been certified. We feel confident that we are the only place in Campbell this well prepared..." Crites

Campbell Patch ‎"It seems we’re talking music here. Do we have, is there a way to measure things as far as decibels, conditions if you’re getting too loud?" Councilman Rich Waterman asks staff.

Campbell Patch ‎"We’ve never had a decibel meter. The way sound travels, its hard to be accurate. I don’t know how practical that would be to determine the noise volumn hitting the neighborhoods." Campbell PD.

    • Elizabeth Betrous ‎??!! The Ainsley house claims to have one they use at weddings, or so they said when I complained about noise levels

Campbell Patch ‎"What is the issue with later? Is it that it’s going to increase the rowdiness?" Waterman asks Chief of Police.

Campbell Patch ‎"When reviewing this, based on current alcohol policy, we made a recommendation. No music past 11 p.m., it was to be consistent with current policy with restaurants. Do we believe that there would be calls to service if extended? I do believe there would be more. But I don’t know what that would be. The 11 p.m. was come to so there wouldn’t be an inequity among businesses applying for this." Campbell Chief of Police Greg Finch.

Campbell Patch ‎"I think as Councilman Cristina says, it’s kind of like the cart before the horse in regards to the alcohol policy. Is this music going to make it worse? Are more people going to drink? This is an opportunity, but I don’t think it should go to 2 a.m. I think we should try something and coming back in 6 months and see what people are saying. Has it gotten better? Might be a different crowd." Waterman.

  • Alina Squeak likes this.
    • Gini Wallace What type of music will be played live? I see they say it won't be a hip-hop type, but the patrons of The Spot ARE the hip-hop type. I love live music. My husband is in three bands and I'd love it if they could play someplace downtown but I don't think The Spot would ever book them because they wouldn't please the average Spot patron...young and just out to get drunk and laid.
    • Jill Arroyo Thank goodness a few comments that make sense and are trying to see the bigger picture
    • Alina Squeak Plus they used to have music at the Gaslighter years ago and then the King's Head had live music for a long time and it was great fun at both places. I'm a TOTAL music person and work in the music industry a lot and for a long time. I'm glad they're at least LOOKING at that bigger picture.

Campbell Patch ‎"I don’t think we should force the city of Campbell and its residents to put up with irresponsible people." Vice Mayor Mike Kowtowski.

Campbell Patch ‎"This is not an easy issue. Just for clarification, they are not here for later alcohol sales or more occupancy. Asking only for live entertainment. That colors my decision a little bit." Mayor Jason Baker.

Campbell Patch ‎"Inclined to allow them the live entertainment. But 2 a.m. is clearly too late. You need some time to settle down. Thursday-Saturday I'm more inclined to support the 12-1 a.m. hours. The other extended hours for Wednesday, I think 1 a.m. on a Wed. is too late. " Baker.

Campbell Patch ‎"I get beer cans in my bushes and I’m all the way on Central. I think that, to me, it is more of an intrusion in the middle of the week. 7-11 p.m. on a Wednesday. That’s where I’m at. I’m hoping that this turns into a good, live entertainment venue and doesn’t change it for the worse. I don’t think the risk is that high." Baker.

    • Javier Marquez Thats too bad about the beer cans. From what I remember The Spot doesnt even have beer in a can
    • Jennifer Snider No bar in Campbell sells beer in a can. Cans are coming from liquor stores and people pitching their trash....
    • Gini Wallace It's not about The Spot, Javier, rather, its patrons.
    • Javier Marquez Oh I fully understand that. I think once the live music comes to The Spot it will attract a completely different crowd and that would not be an issue
    • Javier Marquez I wish I could have attended tonight but had prior obligations before Jarrod told me about it this mirning
    • Javier Marquez Morning
    • Gini Wallace Do you know what kind of music they are looking to book? If it was anything like the Kings Head I'd have to agree with you. I'd be willing to go back if that was the case and I've pretty much sworn off going to the Spot ever again. The bands that played the Kings Head drew an older crowd and, I think, a more respectful crowd.

Campbell Patch ‎"Motion to pass with live entertainment Thursday through Saturday from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday 7 p.m.-11 p.m. and to recind the live entertainment if significant calls to Police or deemed public nuisance and come back in six months." Councilman Evan Low.

  • 5 people like this.
    • Javier Marquez NICE

Campbell Patch ‎"I really want Aaron and Jared to know, currently as you exist there are public nuisances. We are granting this in good faith. You have 6 months to show you are good neighbors." Low.

Campbell Patch All but Vice Mayor Kotowski votes in favor of this.


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