Valerie:
We've been on the rollarcoaster ride of emotions for the past 2 weeks over the conditional use application. One day everything is going good, things are looking real good for us. The next day everything is hopeless, no possible way this bar will open. We've gone though all the emotions: denial, anger, depression. I've had that relationship before. I didn't like it then. I don't like it now. I want to know at the end of the day what is going to happen in 2 weeks. I've noticed we don't want to make mention anything past the decision time. It's suddenly our apocalypse. We don't know where we'll be in 2 weeks. We could be rushing around picking out wine coolers and bar stools or we could be staring despondently at a blank shop. We could be left behind.

We've had some mixed reactions from the neighbors. Over all we've had a lot of positive and encouraging support. One man has already written us off as a rowdy and disruptive bar that will bring down the neighborhood. He's never met us or is willing to sit down with us to discuss his concerns. All we can do is try. Today we are turning in 21 support letters to the planning board. 21 neighbors are willing to take a chance on us in their neighborhood. I'll take that any day over one disgruntled one.