Only a couple days after my post about how the new Queen's Hookah opened in an ill-fated location, a man was slain in the downtown hookah bar.
At 3:15 this morning, an unidentified man was shot several times at the hookah bar, at 227 E. Baltimore St., according to this piece by Sun reporter Liz Kay. The man was taken to Shock Trauma, where he later died.
Earlier this week, Queen's Hookah was celebrating its grand opening by allowing BYOB until July 1 ...
I wonder if that meant people brought beer and wine last night, or if the practice ended on June 30?
Either way, the problem with this location is, it's right next to The Block. Most hookah bars tend to stay open until the wee hours of the morning -- sometimes as late as 4 or 5 a.m., depending on the night.
At that time, a pretty unruly crowd is pouring out of the strip clubs on The Block, and looking to carry the party a little later. I'm not passing judgment until all the facts emerge here, but I'm saying it's no surprise, given the address.
When I reviewed El Basha, Queen's Hookah's predecessor, about a year ago, I could tell the folks who frequented The Block, didn't yet understand what was going on inside El Basha. They would peer through the windows, but they didn't come inside.
I can only assume that, in the time since, some regulars of The Block started patronizing Queen's Hookah. If so, it was only a matter of time before violence erupted there. It's a shame for the owners of Queen's Hookah, who are just trying to make a go of it -- albeit in the wrong spot.
(Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.)