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Monday, December 18, 2006

Neighborhoods: Masked Thieves Raid Hipster Bar

Posted by Amanda S. Miller
Proof that the gentrification of Columbia Heights is a work in progress: Three armed robbers crashed the Wonderland Ballroom, at 11th and Kenyon Streets NW, in a daring heist during peak Friday evening drinking hours.

According to owner Matthew McGovern, the thieves came in around 9 p.m. and were in and out within three minutes. “At first everybody thought they were kidding, because everybody knows each other,” he says. “And then when it became clear it was in earnest, people were quiet and let it happen.”

The bar wasn't jam-packed, he says, but all the tables were full and the thieves, identified by police as three black males, made away with an unknown sum of cash. “They took the money from behind the register, took the money from customers, and then they left,” says McGovern, who says this is his bar's first robbery.

Die-hard barflys refused to let gunmen stop the party. McGovern, who opened the bar with his wife in August 2004, said his patrons continued chugging their Yuenglings even after having pistols waved at them.

“The good thing is that everybody stayed,” he says.

The Wonderland does have security, but McGovern says the doorman wasn't able to stop the incident. The restaurant has a surveillance camera, he says, which will be reviewed to try to identify the culprits.

Police say it's just par for the season. Though neither would offer details because the case is still under investigation, two officers in the neighborhood questioned separately had the same explanation. Said both: “It's Christmas time.”

61 Comments:

At 4:16 PM, Jeffrey said...: "Hipster" is kind of a stretch. Have you been there lately?
More like:
"Masked Thieves Raid Kickball Bar"
At 4:22 PM, Anonymous said...: It's Christmas, you gotta expect some armed robbery.
Thank you MPD, for your reassuring commitment to safety
At 4:43 PM, Anonymous said...: "identified as 3 black males" Sounds like they'll catch them in no time! Way to spread some more fear against all black males in the area police guys. Thanks
At 5:34 PM, Anonymous said...: I'm impressed.
At 5:42 PM, Anonymous said...: dear anonymous #3:

if they were another color would that have been ok?
they're reporting the facts and the facts are that three black males robbed the joint. if you choose to fear the black male population, that's your call.
if they had been white dudes, they would have reported white dudes.
it's assinine to sugarcoat the news.
people of every color break the law. it's irresponsible to not try to broadcast a description of the perps.
At 5:53 PM, Anonymous said...: Way to spread some more fear against all black males in the area

"Kickball Bar robbed by three humanoids...um, with heads...and legs."

Sufficiently anodyne?
At 6:28 PM, Anonymous said...: Hiptard Bar.
At 9:34 PM, dcfist said...: hipster bar. i swear. you people are retarded.
At 10:08 PM, Anonymous said...: How about a kicktard.
At 10:16 PM, Anonymous said...: Oh yeah, almost forgot, Rock and Roll Hotel is the new official hiptard bar...

Maybe it's next.
At 10:20 PM, Anonymous said...: You people are idiots. Sure it's a kickball bar during kickball season (which isnt now) - but then again, so are 50 other bars in the DC/VA/MD area.
At 10:21 PM, Anonymous said...: It's a dingus bar, dingus. Ain't the crime great in this town?
At 11:06 PM, Anonymous said...: Maybe it was the owners who robbed themselves to get free press or to scam the insurance company which is more profitable all round.
At 12:31 AM, Anonymous said...: It's a bar in DC.

Which makes it a Yuppie Bar.

Even the socalled hipster bars in DC would be yuppie bars anywhere else.
At 8:28 AM, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner said...: Kickball bar, yuppie bar, dingus bar, so what? The fact is that the D.C. law enforcement community can't help you if you need it. And the City Council has stripped you of the means to help yourself. But what really amazes me is that a group of people have been robbed of their posessions with lethal force, and nobody expresses any outrage. Keep the party going. I'll stay south of the river. Sheep.
At 8:33 AM, Pleasant Mounter said...: Aww, this is sad. I like this bar and Matt is one of the nicest people in the world.
At 8:58 AM, post-relevant said...: I like Wonderland. I don't know what a hipster is, but they have car seats for love seats and Dilerium. Why all the scene posturing?
At 9:28 AM, Anonymous said...: Too bad about that city council not permitting people to carry firearms. We could have been treated to an old fashioned shootout with multiple deaths and assorted life threatening wounds. Please keep yourself and your arsenal well south of the river.

And while the MPD has it's faults, what do you want, an officer or two in every place that handles cash?
At 9:44 AM, Mad Cabbie said...: Three brothaz involved in an armed robbery? God! what a shocker!
At 10:21 AM, Anonymous said...: I was there Friday night when this happened and the last thing I'd want is for a customer there to have a gun. Can you imagine how much worse this could have been?

It's really infuriating when people use this as an example of why DC's gun laws are too strict.
At 10:28 AM, Anonymous said...: I think it is very sad since I live right there and go there a lot.
To the person living south of the river with their fire arms; please stay there and don't come north of the river! we don't need more cowboys around!
At 10:28 AM, Anonymous said...: There are no hipsters in dc.
At 10:29 AM, Anonymous said...: There are no hipsters in dc
At 11:09 AM, Anonymous said...: Off-putting how a post about armed robbery has elicited mostly comments about what is and isn't hip. Like that matters in context. This comment section should be titled ?Fears of inferiority on parade.?
At 11:24 AM, Anonymous said...: I hope the robbers got enough money to get their loved somes some nice presents, otherwise DC 9 may be next.
At 11:25 AM, Anonymous said...: er... I mean loved ones
At 11:26 AM, Phil Rossi said...: "Why all the scene posturing?"

Because it's a DC messageboard of course! ;-) Other symptons include anonymous postings and negativity.

I've always liked the Wonderland.
At 11:34 AM, lookitup said...: Maybe it was some of the old crowd from when the bar was Nob Hill.
At 12:06 PM, Anonymous said...: I love it when people think there would be a "shootout."

This robbery would not have happened at all in Virginia; the crooks would be more apprehensive about the *owner* having a firearm than the patrons. That's the point of private firearms ownership benefitting the community--the crooks never know who has one and thus don't commit brazen robberies like this.

They would never have shown up at 9pm on a Friday night at Whitlows or Clarendon Ballroom and done something like this. "Wonder why they picked a DC location?" Hmmmm...

It's an obvious answer; don't think about it too hard.

Sheesh...
At 12:25 PM, Anonymous said...: I don't think it has anything to do with VA or DC - you can go in and out of Wonderland (particularly @ 9 pm on a Friday) very quickly without being noticed. It is really quiet in that neighborhood and there is not a lot of traffic (cars or people) around. Unfortunately, they are an easy target - much easier than any other bars in the area (Mt. Pleasant, U St, Adams Morgan...)
At 12:27 PM, Anonymous said...: "This robbery would not have happened at all in Virginia; the crooks would be more apprehensive about the *owner* having a firearm than the patrons. That's the point of private firearms ownership benefitting the community--the crooks never know who has one and thus don't commit brazen robberies like this."

Are you serious? You must be thinking about some squeaky clean nova bar where the owner totes a 22 pistol and calls himself a proud protector. I am from the south, the DEEP south. Having more guns in NO WAY correllates to a lessening in "brazen robberies."

I like that in the end of your post you said "It's an obvious answer; don't think about it too hard."

Obviously you didn't think to hard:)
At 12:28 PM, Anonymous said...: And a much easier target that Clarendon Ballroom or Whilows...so you can just stay there if you want - strict gun laws or not.
At 12:31 PM, Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner said...: Fear not. I intend to keep myself, my firearms, and my money on this side of the Potomac. And I'll be secure in knowing that such an event is less likely to happen here, but if it does, that my government trusts me enough to carry a firearm. The only ones that need fear a lawful firearm owner are criminals and tyrants. Which are you?
At 12:31 PM, Anonymous said...: What is most troubling is that there have been MANY previous serious armed assaults and robberies in evening hours around Wonderland -- criminals target the area because it is a single, isolated bar in an otherwise quiet (for now, more stuff will be arriving soon) residential area. There is a police substation about a quarter of a mile away. Wouldn't it be nice if you ever saw a DC officer patrolling around this or other constant trouble shots? But that would actually require a proactive inkling on the part of the generally invisible DC police force ...
At 12:37 PM, Anonymous said...: This is why I don't like living near Tyrones.
At 1:02 PM, Anonymous said...: I am sorry that the bar and bar patrons were robbed. I think that bar is located where Nob Hill Bar used to operate. One of the reasons it closed was that the crime in that area had hurt its business. I am a District resident, and I do not have much confidence in the Metropolitan Police in solving crime. The Post had a story about the huge number of robberies in D.C. just a few months ago. The police department still seems to be mired in mediocrity, despite having a "reform" police chief for eight years.
At 1:38 PM, Anonymous said...: I don't think the people who frequent the Wonderland think of it as a "hipster" bar. Hipster is a time that implies a bit of pretentiousness; it is not a compliment but usually used to mock.

A news story should describe the gunmen in a robbery, you know, that being one aspect of the "who."
Also, the article discusses that this is evidence that Columbia Heights hasn't completely gentrified. Mentioning that that three men who robbed the Wonderland are black is competely relevant seeing as the black community in Columbia Heights existed prior to the current gentrification.

What is interesting is that 3 men felt confident enough to rob a bar with about 50 people in it. I can't help wonder if they would have felt so safe had they had reason to believe that a patron would have a gun on them at the time.

And to the guy who thinks the owner did it: This isn't the kind of press that a bar would want nor was this exactly risk-free.
At 1:41 PM, Anonymous said...: Even petty crime is a race issue for the sensationalist, race-baiting editors at this rag. What does this robbery have to do with gentrification-- someone enlighten me?
Every time I read about columbia heights it's written in a snide, condescending, smarter-than-you tone. they are clueless.
At 1:55 PM, Anonymous said...: why don't they just report the story without all the editorializing? "Hipsters" insults everyone in the bar, and the "gentrification" comment implies that all the African Americans in Columbia Heights are thieves; and the Whites are innocent victims who deserve to be robbed bc their gentrifiers-- a negative term. Do we even know the robbers are from Columbia Heights? Do we know that there were no African Americans patrons in Wonderland?
It's such typecasting.
At 1:55 PM, Anonymous said...: Ok, well I guess I need to say my 2 cents worth.
What gets me about this article first thing is about the gentrification of Columbia Heights. Yes, it is a neighborhood in transition, but even if it is ever totally transformed, it will never be completely safe. I have known people in Georgetown robbed at gunpoint, as well as in some of the quieter, suburban beighborhoods of DC. And hell, my car had parts stollen off of it in Fredneck, MD. Crime happens. And it happens in Virginia, too. And lest we forget about the triple homicide at Starbucks in Georgetown some years ago, or the multible homicide at Colonel Brooks? Criminals go to where the money is, as long as it is convenient. And crimes happen regardless of whether you are carrying a gun. I trust my dogs over a gun.
This is not, however, the first occurance of someone with a gun at the Wonderland. My friend and I were going back in one night when her purse was snatched. Like a dumbass I took off after the guy, and he pulled a gun on me. THe police never did follow up on that one. And let me tell you, that was one big gun. Two days later Mr. Jimmy was robbed at gunpoint by what sounded to me like an identical gun -- Mr. Jimmy's shop was a tiny little grocery. He made most of his money, what little there was, on cigarettes and beer in bags. He retired a few months later. But I believe it was the same gun, and no police ever followed up with me. Oh, yeah, it was a young black male that did the job. Mr. Jimmy was a 70-ish year old black male. I'm a 38 yo white male. Is any of this pertinent now if the cops don't follow up?
I live a block and a half from the Wonderland. I like it because I can dance there, I can stumble home drunk and not worry about a DUI, there are lots of neighborhood people that go there (and not just white folks, mind you, and not just "hipsters" and not, thank god, just kickballers and soccer people; those guys were messing with my dancing), they book my friends to play there, and the owners and people who work there are friends of mine. For me the real scene problem is the weekend, when all the kids from Virginia come to be hip in the city. I really pray that they leave their guns behind. But if Mathew and Rose and all the people that work there are making money off of them, then its fine by me. I just come in at last call on Friday and Saturday anyway.

I did meat a really great girl from Virginia recently. I don't think she owns a gun. I can't figure out what race she is.
At 2:01 PM, Anonymous said...: Lol LMAO.. oh my god I cannot stop laughing reading the comments that say "right to carry arms" would have solved the problem.. Perhaps this case. Maybe not. Fine. Happy? But statistics don't lie. US as a whole has a very high gun crime rate. US as a whole has very liberal gun laws. See the correlation? Don't think about it too hard though.. ;-)
At 2:12 PM, Anonymous said...: s
At 2:12 PM, Anonymous said...: Saying that the robbers would have been more hesitant to rob Wonderland had DC guns laws been less strict allowing a patron to potentially have a gun at the time is perhaps the most asinine thing I've read all day. The last thing I want is some drunk guy at a bar with a concealed weapon.

I'd hope even the NRA would agree that firearms and alcohol don't mix.
At 2:15 PM, Anonymous said...: If you're too cool for the DC scene, move to New York. The Wonderland and R&R Hotel do exactly what any bar should: sell drinks for less than $10 and provide good music.
At 3:26 PM, Anonymous said...: "Saying that the robbers would have been more hesitant to rob Wonderland had DC guns laws been less strict allowing a patron to potentially have a gun at the time is perhaps the most asinine thing I've read all day. The last thing I want is some drunk guy at a bar with a concealed weapon."

So it was better to have three REAL people show up with guns who then committed a series of crimes, than to have a situation (drunk guy at bar misusing a firearm) that has never happened in the 38 states that have allowed concealed carry for the last 10 years?

Not sure your perfect world ever existed on this planet...

Hey, I agree with the NRA and not allow patrons to carry firearms while drinking. But to not allow the sober bar owner something to defend his property and patrons? Especially in a lousy neighborhood like this one? Come on, be serious...
At 3:54 PM, Anonymous said...: not for nuthin', but the col. brooks murder/robbery was done by an ex-employee of CBT.

also, col. brooks tavern is awesome.
i love that place.
At 5:05 PM, Anonymous said...: Yeah, that would have been great. Then the bar owner/tender could've gotten in a shootout with the robbers. Or, if the robbers had the drop on him, they could have taken his gun, as well as his cash. Or, maybe the robbers would have been too scared to do the crime in the first place. Oh, wait, that's actually your lame point. Nevermind.
At 8:23 PM, Anonymous said...: DC don.t stand for dodge city..i love wonderland and rr hotel. i dont have a gun- hip yes see yall on friday maybe even saturday..straight from VA with love..maybe the prices of homes will drop and I can pick
one up and resell it to one of whitys at 10 fold
At 10:11 PM, Anonymous said...: Actually, statistics don't lie. The US has high crime, but guns have little to do with it. For example:

State Violent Crime /murder rate
South Dakota 175.7 2.3
California 526.3 6.9
New York 445.8 4.5
Massachusetts 456.9 2.7
Wisconsin 241.5 3.5
Illinois * 551 6.0
Wash, DC 1459.0 35.4

It is important to note that South Dakota has the highest number (per capita) of concealed weapons permits of any state.

That is not just a US phenomenon. Switzerland has the highest rate of gun ownership in the world, but one of the lowest crime rates.

In England, not only are firearms virtually illegal, but it is illegal to possess most knives. Their crime rate is skyrocketing.
At 12:31 AM, Anonymous said...: 10:11 Anonymous: Could you please source your figures? While I previously commented in defense of DC's strict laws on firearms, I'm not disputing your numbers (I have no reason to). I'm just interested in reading more about where they came from.
At 2:05 AM, Anonymous said...: I think having a Dog in the bar is the way to go..why don't we allow it here? Most of my neighbors keep dogs for security, and they work. The French allow dogs in restaurants...oh, yeah, they are French; they allow cheese we ban, and they were opposed to Iraq.

Yeah, the Colonel Brooks thing was inside, and the dude was recognized, so murder was committed.

Am I mistaken, or doesn't the district allow shotguns?

I am virtually certain that the Swiss laws around gun ownership has nothing to do with low crime rate. They are also clean as hell. Not like anyone is threatening them with a gun if someone litters. The cultural differences are vast.

By the wayt, I love Colonel brooks (Tues. night Jazz!) and I love the Wonderland. The realitively small amount of crime will never keep me from the places I love. Just as losing to friends in 9/11 won't keep me off of airplanes.

Life is a risk, no?
At 10:54 AM, Anonymous said...: I'm not the anonymous who posted the stats, but I will give you a few links where you can do some research:

http://chronwatch.com/site_search.asp?auth=141
http://www.guncite.com/
http://www.gunfacts.info/
http://www.ncpa.org/iss/cri/
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/guns.htm

FBI, DOJ & CDC all have various useful statistics.
At 1:13 PM, Anonymous said...: It is a GAY bar! Can't you tell from the response of the patrons?
At 2:40 PM, Anonymous said...: Hmm, I wonder why they never have these robberies at any of the many gun shows I frequent?

And these young urban youths always seem to carefully avoid the bars and establishments that off-duty police frequent, for the practicing of their trade that is. I cant' seem to figure out why that is?

And these passionate defenders of the right of the people to be disarmed and helpless victims aren't quite so vocal after one of these robberies/CRIMES ends in a massacre or death, as they often do, or when they end in favored buildings being blown up and collapsed.

Anyway- CITIZENS, TURN IN YOUR ARMS!
At 9:15 AM, Anonymous said...: I posted the stats. I got them from the FBI's uniform crime report.

http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/05cius/data/table_05.html
At 9:26 AM, Anonymous said...: And these passionate defenders of the right of the people to be disarmed and helpless victims aren't quite so vocal after one of these robberies/CRIMES ends in a massacre or death, as they often do, or when they end in favored buildings being blown up and collapsed.

Jeez, "favored buildings being blown up and collapsed"? I'll assume that bit of hyperbole to be a reference to 9/11?

Don't you think that's a bit excessive to cover the fact that y'all piss your pants at the thought of the occasional foray into the "Big Bad City (tm)." What does C.R.I.M.E.S stand for, anyway? Or don't they teach you peasants how to use the cap-locks key?
At 9:54 PM, Anonymous said...: DENEGRIFICATION NOW!!!!!!!
At 3:29 PM, Anonymous said...: I've been there once, I sat outside.. and some kids threw some glass bottles at us on the patio. Minor incident, but was eye opening in my own neighborhood. Haven't been back since.
At 7:02 PM, Anonymous said...: Niggaz out of DC NOW. Fucking Tyrones don't belong here. Murderous pieces of subhuman shit.
At 4:13 AM, Anonymous said...: HA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!! So clientel inside a hipster bar, that is no longer a hipster bar because doosh bag NOVA Kickballers from Arlington drink there now, got robbed ?? HAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At 11:35 AM, Anonymous said...: Someone other than criminals and tyrants who needs to fear lawful firearms... school children. So add that to your list.


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