RYAN HAGEN
News Assistant
The Dume Room is doomed, according to owner Mario Vitale.
He said the bar, a popular hangout for Pepperdine students, will be forced to close Nov. 30.
Transwestern Commercial Services, the nationwide real estate company that acquired the properties at Point Dume Plaza in April 2005, had originally said it would not allow the Dume Room to renew its lease when it expired, in early 2007.
“They went back on their verbal contract,” Vitale said, and used several events the weekend before Halloween as a pretext to remove the business.
Because of complaints about noise and inappropriate conduct in and around the bathrooms, the company said Vitale would have to close his business or provide $10,000 dollars to stay open.
He refused, calling the complaints groundless.
“I didn’t receive any [noise] complaints from the police or local residents, and I never have,” he said. “And I can’t control everything that happens in the bathrooms. They’re prefabricating stuff. I’d never see that $10,000 again.”
Pepperdine students called the closing unfortunate.
“It sucks for Malibu residents, but it’s not the end of the world,” said senior Arthur Calhoun, who said he goes to the Dume Room once or twice per week.
Vitale said the Dume Room is more than a bar.
Transwestern Commercial did not return phone calls for comment, but according to Vitale, their plan has been to transform Point Dume Plaza, including the iconic bar.
Vitale said the company sent the Dume Room letters complaining that the bar needed extra security to control the mess outside of its building. He said he hired another security guard and pointed out that the mess was left by day workers unrelated to the bar, but he still cleaned it up.
Still, Vitale said, the company insisted the bar shut down.
“I wrote them a heartfelt letter,” he said, his voice cracking a little. “This place is a diamond in the rough, and I offered to spend $100,000 to polish it [by remodeling]. This is a place for people from every walk of life; it’s a Cheers bar.”
Dume Room regulars, he said, include Pepperdine students, firemen, celebrities from Pam Anderson to Nixon advisor Bill Lynch and other locals.
Vitale’s business is not the only one in danger. A pet store in the shopping center already was forced to close, and other businesses were told to close or move, Vitale said.
“Not everyone’s lease is up,” he said. “But it will be.”
An online petition to convince the Malibu City Council to save Point Dume businesses, started by Malibu High School student Miles Harper in January, has collected 491 signatures.
One of those is Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Jennings. On the Web site, which requires only a name and e-mail address, he pointed out that only the landlord has authority over which businesses keep their leases.
Popular Point Dume destinations Lily’s Café and Pastries and Point Pizza could stay, according to Harper’s petition, “but practically everything else goes.”
The Dume Room’s reputation and threat of imminent closure should make it a priority, according to Vitale.
He said everyone concerned should sign the Dume Room petition or write to Transwestern
“Everyone says it’s a legendary bar,” Vitale said.
11-02-2006
