Christmas Is Saved at Scores East

More than 100 employees of the original Scores club at 333 East 60th Street will keep their jobs, after the State Liquor Authority (SLA) agreed on Wednesday to transfer the upscale strip club's liquor license to new operators Jeffrey Wasserman and David Talla, owners of the Sapphire club in Las Vegas.

"These are busboys and waiters and the like that would be out of a job during the Christmas season," said Scores attorney Martin Mehler, who noted that the new operators had pledged to maintain the current staff when they take over the lease from embattled prior owners Richard Goldring and Elliot Osher.

The SLA had threatened to put the East Side club out of business after its sister location, Scores West in Chelsea, was shuttered last spring following a 2007 prostitution sting that resulted in multiple arrests.

"This premises, in and of itself, is not a problem to the liquor authority," argued Mr. Mehler. "It is a problem because the principals had been revoked at another premises. But it does not have a record in the 10 years that it's been open."

Terry Flynn, a lawyer for the new owners, added, "My clients have absolutely nothing to do with the [prior owners] -- nothing. They're gone. Finished. Boom! Out of the business."

Local Community Board 8 had supported the transfer of ownership. "There's a phenomenon within community boards that they would like to have these establishments remain," Mr. Mehler said. "The reason they like to have these establishments remain is that they're basically quiet; they don't make noise at four o'clock in the morning..."

SLA commissioner Noreen Healey noted, "The community board not only supports it, but they overwhelmingly support this place. And if they keep the employees, I think that's also important."