Larchmont Bungalow Shut Down
LATEST UPDATE: The Larchmont Bungalow closed in the summer of 2017.
UPDATE: On April 3, 2013, in the Central Arraignment Court in downtown Los Angeles, Larchmont Bungalow pleaded no contest to the case presented by the fire department, and was sentenced to three years’ probation. The primary criminal case against Bungalow’s illegal operation is still ongoing and has been continued to November 2013.
September 2nd (Sunday), 2012
A quick update regarding the closure of illegal restaurant Larchmont Bungalow today.
The Los Angeles Fire Department, accompanied by Los Angeles Police Department resources, appeared at 107 North Larchmont Boulevard at midday Sunday and shut the establishment down for operating beyond the stated occupancy on their legal papers.
For those unfamiliar with the most galling issue confronting our community, Bungalow has been operating without the most basic city permit required of restaurants or any kind of food-service business. The last permit issued for that space (formerly an office building) was for food-retail and it was declared void in October 2009. After several administrative appeals and hearings, that food-retail permit, which is in the same category as the one used by Starbucks and other coffee takeout places, was revoked for good in December 2009.
There is no record of any other food facility in the City of Los Angeles that has been able to get away with such blatant disregard of the law for such a long time and with the patronage of high-ranking government officials. Whether they can reopen will depend on their continued willingness to pour money into extending the processes of lobbying, litigation, and PR.
NOTE: Without a Certificate of Occupancy, the building occupied by Bungalow can accommodate only 49 people according to LAFD calculations specified in the Municipal Code. The fire marshal counted a total of 98 people on September 2nd, thus requiring the closure.
For more background, you may search this site. We will add more information and links to this entry soon.