By Kate E. Salute
She continued: "I would like to give my comment on what this is and what it is supposed to be."
In her light green office on the second floor of the old lodge, just past the office of Sigma Transportation Inc., Singh, 22, sat at a desk which had no clutter, just a computer and a phone. "I understand that [Café Wandyful owner Wandy Williams] said one thing and did another," Singh said. "But that doesn't mean that I'm going to do the same. I shouldn't be punished for what he did. And it didn't even really occur to me that people would think it would be a strip club until I read the article."
The article, which appeared on the front page of last week's Herald, reported that civic leaders were concerned with a legal notice that the establishment on Hempstead Turnpike was applying for a liquor license. When they found out its new name, e-mails were sent out to residents reminding them of a previous restaurant/bar that opened in the neighborhood more than a decade ago.
The name G Spot Lounge reminded Cathedral Gardens Civic Association president Scott Jablow of the battle the association had won after Café Wandyful, which had been proposed as a TGI Fridays-style restaurant, allegedly morphed into a cabaret, disrupting the sleep of nearby residents. The fight to close the café, known as Wandy's, was one that united the residents, Jablow said.
Not Wandy's part two
"I'm a total feminist," Singh said. "I'm totally against even the idea. I don't think that women should take off their clothes for money."
As for the name, which she has no plans of changing, Singh explained, "It's like a trick on names. My name is Gunika - G - and it's my spot - G Spot Lounge. I thought it was catchy. There's absolutely no pretense there."
G Spot Lounge, which Singh hopes to open the first week in June - "The second week in June at the latest," she said - would be advertised as a cocktail lounge for "an elite, upscale, educated crowd," ages 21 to 40. The website, www.thegspotlounge.com, currently under construction, reads, "finally, SoHo is coming to Long Island!"
Michelle Sparaccio, a spokesperson from the Town of Hempstead said that the process of obtaining a permit to change the use of the building to a restaurant or bar could take anywhere from four to six months, unless expedited. The buildings department received the application on March 22.
Singh said there would be a dress code enforced by bouncers, "which will be sophisticated - you're not going to get in with baggy, ripped jeans and baseball hats.
"It's going to be a place where young college grads from the local colleges and universities can go to network, get a drink and some food - not full meals, though," she explained.
The menu, Singh said, would be a mix of world selections such as Chinese, Japanese, American and Indian, though she was quick to clarify that it would not be an Indian restaurant. The decor would be modern, with no restaurant-style seating, just sofas and coffee tables.
Parking, according to Singh, should not be a problem, since the building has a lot on either side as well as street parking, a municipal lot across the street and neighboring businesses' empty lots after 5 p.m.
All the bartenders will have gone to a bartending academy and will be TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) certified, as is Singh. "TIPS teaches you how to control customers' alcohol consumption without getting the customers aggravated," she said. Singh added that many bars that have used TIPS have steered clear of trouble with the law.
When asked if she planned on having DJs and/or live bands, Singh said she wasn't planning on it at the moment because she has no permit to do so. In the future, if she can get a permit, Singh said, she wouldn't mind having a DJ or live bands, but, she said, "it's not going to be a night club or even a place for a lot of dancing."
Singh, a self-described aggressive, entrepreneurial type, has been dreaming of owning her own lounge since she was a high school student.
Comments about this story? Ksalute@liherald.com or (516)569-4000 ext. 205.
