2520 Robinhood Torments the Beer Drinkers Next Door

The notable lifestyle advantages of taking up residence at 2520 Robinhood, the condo building off Kirby just north of the Rice Village: convenient shopping nearby, no lawn maintenance, plus . . . it’s so easy to tweak those pesky customers at the tiny little mostly open-air bar right next door!

“They have been tormenting us, basically, for the last five years,” Hans’ Bier Haus owner Bill Cave tattles to the Houston Press‘s Craig Malisow. How?

throwing eggs and roofing tacks; using a laser-sighted gun scope to train a red dot on various customers, thus freaking them out; throwing beer bottles and cans . . .

Sure, it sounds like a little fun nighttime activity from condo balconies above such an easy target. But do the merry residents of 2520 Robinhood realize the people they’re toying with have been . . . drinking?! Cave tells Malisow he’s “decided to file a lawsuit against every resident, because even if a particular resident didn’t take an active part in the war, they all were complicit” in the off-bar games.

***

Cave reports the latest incident earlier this month, when the courtyard bar with the bocce court hosted a party headlined by the Ronnie Renfrow Big Band:

Cave says he invited the residents to that party.

“And how did they repay us? . . . I come to find out that days leading up to the party…they’d be soaking down my backyard with the water sprinkler so it would be waterlogged, so the effect would be even…greater when they turned the sprinkler on us right after the party started.”

Photo of 2520 Kirby and other neighboring businesses: Gary Hunt [license]

53 Comment

  • Watered down beer is a baaaad thing. Shame on you, Robin Hood.

  • Nothin like snobs in the West U area.

  • CK, you’ve obviously never been the Bier Haus, it is far from being full of West U snobs.

  • i think CK was referring to the trash that lives in the Robinhood complex. i assume it’s just a few bad apples in the building, but the condo association should do something about it.

  • Couldn’t the Bier Haus erect netting over their biergarten to deflect the incoming projectiles?

    But suing would be more satisfactory.

  • I would go for arrest and prosecution – get some video, or hire an off duty cop to watch for the beer bottle assaults, etc.

  • It’s about time someone told the truth about Hans Bier Haus and the convicted felon owner Bill Cave.

    The other part owner, Paul Kellogg, who is an attorney was arrested and found guilty of DWI.

    Bill Cave, aka William Howard Cave, Jr., DOB 10/18/1956, was just charged with Assault-Bodily Injury and Criminal Mischief. Bill Cave attacked an innocent 61 year old man at 2520 Robinhood. Bill Cave will plead GUILTY and serve time in jail for this crime.

    Bill Cave was also arrested for DWI on August 10, 2009. Bill Cave will plead GUILTY to this crime.

    Bill Cave was arrested in 1986 for manufacturing and distributing drugs and was found GUILTY and sentenced to 5 years in Texas State Prison. Bill Cave was paroled for 10 years.

    Click on this link to the Harris County District Clerk’s website.

    http://www.hcdistrictclerk.com/eDocs/Public/Search.aspx?Tab=tabCriminal

    Type in the Defendant’s Name “Cave, William”.

    You can read for yourself Bill Cave’s entire criminal record.

  • Meeeeeeeeeowwwwwwwy Christmas…

  • So are you saying the folks in the condo are tormenting the Bier Haus because the owner is a felon? Could it possibly just be because they are a**holes?

  • Obviously the condo owners are just jealous of the good times everyone has at the Bier Haus. If noise is a bother for them, then perhaps they should’ve checked the surrounding area before moving in. But this is Houston–get over it–we don’t have zoning laws!

  • The criminals are the jerks who are damaging the property of the patrons at the bar. The condo owners know the bar was there when they purchased their condos. Anyway, hope the condo owners doing this get arrested and are added to the Harris County DA’s data base also. There is no justification for their actions.

  • I attended a Sugarball Express show on a Sunday Evening at Hans’ recently. It is my understanding that a noise permit was obtained for the show. The band started early and was to end early out of deference to the neighbors, and were careful to keep the volume at a reasonable level. Not halfway into the set, it seemed to begin raining. As the band was on a roofed stage and the patrons were under sails that the owner had installed, the band played on. After a while, a patron walked out to their car and returned to report that it was not raining in the parking lot behind Firestone. Or on the street. Or in front of the bar. Police then arrived following up a noise complaint, and the shower stopped.

    Say what you will about the owners, however I’m sure that everyone sometimes patronizes businesses run by less than scrupulous or law-abiding citizens without even knowing it. The actions of certain residents at 2520 amount to nothing more than criminal mischief, vandalism, and harassment and punish owners, patrons, and performers alike.

  • Eventually one of the a**holes will toss something like a bottle or a rock and hit someone and then they along with the rest of the a**holes will no longer own their home after the lawsuits are filed.

    Obviously they have adopted the Southampton/Boulevard Oaks method of taking care of things – harass someone to death and take a “sue me if you don’t like it” attitude about it.

    Someone had to file the noise complaint – the owners of Hans Bierhouse should have filed a complaint against whoever it was who filed it. And then pursued the matter with the district attorney’s office.

  • @Felon – I don’t care. Sounds like you’ve an axe to grind, yes?

  • you know, trying to defame people online by calling out felonies just makes the condo owners looks even worse.

    him being convicted obviously only shows that he doesn’t have enough money to get off the hook like all those snotty west u. peeps.

    you would think everyone in rice and west u is well aware of the stereotypes involved with living in the area and yet they still did try to make them more and more truthful.

  • That highrise looks like it’s made out of cardboard. A real waste of architecture if you ask me.

    It could have been designed in a much more interesting way since it stands out on Kirby. But instead, it looks generic and cheap. Awful location. Who would want to live in that congested potholed road, anyway?

  • The hi-rise was there first.

    Check your facts morons!

    If you knew how to read, you could go to hansbierhaus.com and read it yourself. It says Paul Kelllogg and Bill Cave bought Hans in 2005. The hi-rise was completed in 2002.

    So these retards Paul Kellogg and Bill Cave decide to buy a run down house, operating as a failed bar, with no parking, and decide to turn it into an outdoor rock concert venue.

    And then you ignorant alcoholics who really don’t care about anything other than self medicating your bi-polar, depressed genetic disorders, want to come and party next door to my home.

    Why don’t you cowards post your real names with real addresses, and let me raise hell next to your homes at 3 a.m.

    Check yourself into rehab, or stop being white trash and get on Paxil, Prozac, Lexapro, or any of the many anti-depressant medications available on the market.

    Ever wonder why one, or both of your parents are alcoholics? They passed the alcoholic gene on to you!

    Don’t wait until you get a DWI and are forced in to poor mans rehab, which 90 days in the county jail.

  • Gee how hard would it be to aim a camera at the building to see from which unit the rain showers come? Suing the entire building shows how stupid and blustery the owner must be. Condo associations have no real control over an individual who choses to behave like a brat.

  • From Convicted Felon:

    “If you knew how to read, you could go to hansbierhaus.com and read it yourself. It says Paul Kelllogg and Bill Cave bought Hans in 2005. The hi-rise was completed in 2002.”

    —————————————————————————————————–
    Actually it appears your reading comprehension is shaky at best. A bar has been at that location since early 2001, it was a bar before they purchased it. Cheers CWL3 1602!

  • Hey convicted felon, the apartments were not there first, the bar predates these owners. I haven’t been there in years, but remember sitting in the beer garden about 10 years ago before that high rise apartment building was there, and later watching the workers put it up. The same workers who dropped the beam into the daycare — oooops!!!

    You’re obviously accomplished at using the interwebs, so get your facts straight. The apartment people came to the nuisance.

  • Hey alcoholics, you will say anything to keep your white trash alcoholic medication on tap. You really need to get some Lexapro, Zoloft, or Prozac.

    One of you morons talked about the “daycare” next door to the hi-rise. Ooooooops, are you so drunk this morning that you did not even realize the stupidity of your comment.

    City of Houston Ordinance states, no liquor license shall be granted to any retail establishment located within 300 feet of a daycare or private school. State law states 500 feet from a daycare.

    The Southampton Montessori School is pre-kindergarten through 6th grade, and located 150 feet to the east of Hans Bier Haus. That’s right, Hans Bier Haus is operating with an illegal and fraudulent liquor license.

    And while you are drunk as a skunk with your measuring tape, could you pick up the beer bottles you keep throwing in the pool and smashing around the children’s playground? It seems the white trash who frequent Hans Bier Haus don’t mind children cutting their feet on broken beer glass bottles sold at Hans.

    If you still want to hang onto your ignorant argument of who was there first. The Southampton Montessori School was there in the 1960’s, Hans Bier Haus received their first liquor license in 1993. Game over, alcoholic losers!

    I see you alcoholics down at the court house all the time. Sitting in court, trying to defend a DWI, pleading that you only had 1 drink, there was no way you were drunk, then we roll the police cam video, and it’s game over.

  • I live behind Dan Electro’s and I knew it was part of the deal when I bought my house. When the new owners bought the place, they were very receptive to increasing the soundproofing and they give us all free admission to their shows all the time. We have an open invite. They are good neighbors and we reciprocate.

    I wonder what the story is on the side of the residents?

  • Oops, I should have read before posting, I see one residents views now. Convicted felon, no matter how righteous you may believe your argument, and it has merit, albeit written in a most offensive manner, it is never okay to throw beer bottles or to pour water or whatever else you are pouring on people. These people who you call names are not who your argument is with. Your argument is with the bar owners and the city that allows them to operate. I suggest you take your argument there rather than assaulting strangers. You may find you have no binding argument, so you will then have to choose whether to stay or go, but to choose violence makes you a criminal.

  • EMME – You seem like a reasonable person.

    What would you have done when you walked over to Dan Electro’s, and rather than increase the soundproofing, they said screw you, put the bands outside, and cranked up the volume to over 100 decibels until midnight?

    Then after 4 years of calling the police 3 nights a week, the owner Bill Cave came over to your house and nearly killed your grandfather.

  • From Convicted Felon:
    EMME – You seem like a reasonable person.

    ______________

    More reasonable than you obviously. You are what is called a loose cannon. Next time you buy a house, be it a house or a hirise condo, you might want to drive around the neighborhood and take a “look-see” before you sign on the dotted line.

    You are of the same ilk as the “Stop Ashby” crowd. Although so far you haven’t threatened any children. That we know of.

    Obviously the owners of Hans Bierhouse are acting legally. The owners of the condos are not. And if your grandfather has the same “anger management problem” you obviously do, I wish him luck convincing a jury the attack was unprovoked.

  • Just back from holiday, and am amazed to find that in 26 comments, no one has brought up 2520 Robinhood’s most famously irascible resident, that wild & crazy bad boy Robert Durst. Seems like there is a punch line in there somewhere………

  • Holy crap! This Google thing is amazing, you sir are truly the master of the internets.

    From Convicted Felon:
    “and rather than increase the soundproofing, they said screw you”
    Well with such a charming personality like yours, I can’t imagine why they would have done such a thing.
    “Why don’t you cowards post your real names with real addresses, and let me raise hell next to your homes at 3 a.m.”

    Uh, you first.

    “Then after 4 years of calling the police 3 nights a week”

    So there’s public record of your continual harrassment? I’m actually surprised that the police didn’t issue you a ticket for the waste of their time. What makes you pick up that phone that 3rd time each week expecting a different result?
    “Get off your parent’s computer and mow the lawn. You are staying up way to late watching those second hand Girls Gone Wild videos…December 30, 2009 at 12:11 am”
    I guess you don’t have much of a lawn to worry about, eh? Any one else think all the insults to complete strangers are actually about himself?

  • @Harold – you beat me to the Durst post. Methinks the owners of yon Bier House may have more to worry about than a little sprinkling.

  • Convicted Felon…under no circumstances would I have begun acting criminally. I would not have begun harrassing them in any way. However, I would have continually called the police when decibel levels seemed to be too loud at anytime or louder than allowed at certain times. I would have encouraged my grandfather to press assault charges. I would have followed the police call reports to the bar and with those, petitioned the TABC to revoke the liquor license. In fact, we just had an owner of another bar ousted that is not such a good neighbor, has had two murders on the premises in the past two years (one the previous owner) and continually have their patrons end up in our ditches, nose of the car first. We filed complaints with TABC, they did a better check on the owner, discovered he was a convicted felon and revoked his license. It didn’t close the bar, but there is a new owner and we have not had near the problems with them. That bar did not effect my daily living, so had it not resolved, it would have remained a minor annoyance. If Dan Electro’s had proven an unwelcome neighbor, but were within the law and my quality of life was still not what I think it should be, the house would be on the market and I would have moved. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you always lose if you lose civility. IMO.

  • If the Bill Cave mentioned in the article is the William Howard Cave, Jr., DOB 10/18/1956 with the extensive criminal record I do not think attacking one of the residents would help to win a lawsuit. He should get to know Durst.

    In 2001, Durst was arrested in Galveston, Texas, shortly after body parts of his senior neighbor, Morris Black, were found floating in Galveston Bay. Durst admitted to using a paring knife, two saws and an axe to dismember Black’s body before dumping his remains in Galveston Bay. He pleased not gulity claiming self defense, the jury acquitted him of murder.

    Durst knows how to pick a good lawyer!!!

  • There does seem to be this “we’re allowed” attitude on the part of the residents with regard to what is obvious harassment. Obviously they moved there because they couldn’t afford anything in Southampton or Boulevard Oaks and a least wanted to be close to their own.

  • Dear Convicted Felon,

    You are obviously not to good at research. The law you are referring to in regards to the distance between a school/church and a business selling alcohol, states door to door. This means the main entrance, which for the school is almost to Morningside, is well over the legal distance. It sounds as if your just pissed you over payed for your condo, and are stuck. The Robinhood was no more than a dirt lot when the Bier Haus was opened. So it would appear that both of your arguments are WRONG! You should redirect your anger towards something productive or simply move. Good day angry man. BTW Anger management is in your near future.

  • Let’s understand the relationship between Alcohol and Depression.
    For people who have been alcohol dependent for a long time, alcohol has a toxic effect on their serotonin neuro-transmitters. Alcohol feeds depressive symptoms, increasing both their frequency and severity.
    95% of people who drink heavily have symptoms that resemble a depressive illness.
    Alcohol drinkers self medicate with alcohol, falsely believing that alcohol will cure their depression and bi-polar genetic disorder.
    Individuals who suffer from depression and bi-polar disorder can relieve their symptoms with drugs such as Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, etc.
    Individuals who do NOT have health insurance, or who continue to be in DENIAL, gather together in bars like Hans Bier Haus to medicate their depression illness with alcohol.
    These white trash mentally depressed beer drinkers are usually arrested for DWI, and eventually forced in to poor mans rehab, 90 days at the county jail.

  • Mr. Information, I know the law, but I am tired of doing all the work for you. It’s nice to know you were able to put your beer down for a few hours to do your own homework.

    Because I am feeling sorry for you, I will help you fully understand the law. It’s property line to property line for a public school, 1,000 feet door to door if the private institution elects to file for the exclusion.

    It sounds like you are pissed because you still rent an apartment and can’t afford a home.

    Kellogg and Cave bought Danika One, Inc, assumed the liquor license, but it became a new application upon renewal, which happened in 2005.

    Cave and Kellogg changed the business to an outdoor concert venue, thereby altering the use causing a nuisance.

    You are an idiot and I don’t care to waste anymore time with you. The bottom line, Hans will be shut down in 90 days. That is not a threat or wishful thinking, it’s a fact.

    It shouldn’t matter to you, there are over 15,000 other licensed bars in Harris County. They all sell Bud, so move on.

  • AA must be Convicted Felon. Same old line about the white trash alcoholics.

    Me, I’d rather live with white trash alcoholics than Robert Durst.

  • Can we vote on a name for Convicted Felon’s next sock puppet? I suggest Dry Drunk.

  • Matt, I think you nailed it on both counts. What amazes me is, here is a building with a definite “neighbor problem” within their midst, so they decide to take on a messy, prolonged, public, battle with—the neighbors.

  • For people who have been alcohol dependent for a long time, alcohol has a toxic effect on their serotonin neuro-transmitters. Alcohol feeds depressive symptoms, increasing both their frequency and severity.
    95% of people who drink heavily have symptoms that resemble a depressive illness.
    Alcohol drinkers self medicate with alcohol, falsely believing that alcohol will cure their depression and bi-polar genetic disorder.
    Individuals who suffer from depression and bi-polar disorder can relieve their symptoms with drugs such as Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, etc.
    Individuals who do NOT have health insurance, or who continue to be in DENIAL, gather together in bars like Hans Bier Haus to medicate their depression illness with alcohol.
    These white trash mentally depressed beer drinkers are usually arrested for DWI, and eventually forced in to poor mans rehab, 90 days at the county jail.

  • “AA” sounds like a really constipated “Landed Gent” to me – cranky & presumptuos. I hear that runs in families, too.

  • Pardon me, AA, but alcoholics are also known for repeating themselves, aren’t they?

  • Hey! I met my girlfriend at Hans Bierhaus.I have a strong sentimental attachment to the dive. You prima donnas should move to the country if the city is too noisy for your prissy asses. Or better yet, stake out a place at the Ashby Highrise

  • OK, coffee spew on the “Dry Drunk” moniker suggestion.

  • Wow, the spring semester has started and I just moved back into my employer’s condo she maintains for me as I finish grad school.

    Some weird stuff must have happened since December 15th when I left up until now… Did my neighbors go berserk or did Bier Haus strike a nuclear nerve???

    I think I’ll go down, have a beer, smile at everyone, then get back into my condo and bed and tune out the noise and sleep.

    After all, tomorrow is school day!

    Peace people! Please!

  • Oh, and I agree; prosecute anyone in the condos demonizing the patrons of the bar illegally. Civility works both ways!

    Yawn! Good night all, stay warmzez!

    Nancy

  • Bill Cave admits his GUILT to the criminal charges while on the witness stand, under oath, in front of the judge.

    Bill Cave also admits he never saw anyone do the things he has alleged in his affidavit (perjury).

  • I was considering renting a place at 2520 Robinhood but am reconsidering due to the threat of noise from the Bierhaus. I went there in 2001 a bit and don’t remember loud music being played there. Maybe I went on the wrong days.

  • I was considering renting a place at 2520 Robinhood but am reconsidering due to the threat of noise from the Bierhaus.
    ________________________

    No doubt you will be summoned as a witness when the homeowners sue Bierhaus for having ruined their reputation as a quiet little hirise in the middle of a quiet little neighborhood.

    Be patient. By the time 1717 Bissonnet is complete the market may not be much better and they may go the rental route and you can finally enjoy the quiet little hirise in the middle of a quiet little neighborhood. Quiet except for the homeowners who scream profanities at you when you pull out of the garage just for having the audacity to live there.

  • “No doubt you will be summoned as a witness when the homeowners sue Bierhaus for having ruined their reputation as a quiet little hirise in the middle of a quiet little neighborhood.” Matt, Are you on crack….
    Their reputation was trashed when they dropped a iron beam 20 feet long into the school yard next door. I wouldn’t live in that rat hole if you paid me….

  • Crack is so, well, middle-class. Please. I don’t do middle-class. Ever. Rich or poor. I don’t do middle class. Of course I also don’t do drugs. If I did, I would not do middle-class drugs.

    The beam. What a memory. I’m not sure it had anything to with the reputation of the building one way or the other. Other than raising a question about the construction crew. And of course the construction of the building itself. All those homeowners on the west side of the building at night for the friendly “egg toss” and “water fight” might not be such a good idea. The building might topple over. And THAT would be a lawsuit.

  • Matt M

    Take a powder paw paw. The only thing you seem to do is exemplify narcissism

  • I’m not the one acting as if I own the neighborhood along with my hirise condo. Now THAT’S narcissism.

  • I have recently become aware of the situation between 2520 high rise and Hans. After a little reading of all the post and articles I fail to see how this is so complicated. Being objective and not having any ties to either establishment I would like to make the following comments.

    1) It appears that there is only a hand full of residents in 2520 who are upset about the Han’s very existence.

    2) Out of that handfull it also appears that only 1 or 2 residents have been vocal and on a hate campaign against Bill Cave.

    3) If the residents looked at the condo before they purchased it, which I imagine anyone who can afford to spend several hundred thousand dollars on a condo would. They would have noticed the bar below their balcony and with any thought at all known it would be noisy.

    4) Did the residents who are upset premeditate this attack on Han’s? It appears that is the case if you knowingly move next to a bar in a city that does not have zoning.

    5) Did the residents or Bill ever attempt to meet like men and talk it out face to face? If not why? If someone hates me and wants to ruin my business I would expect them to be enough of a man to be able to look me in the face and tell me why.

    6)Objectively the high rise residents launching the attacks are wrong. I have not read any libel about any named residents of 2520. Who and why is someone doing so against Bill Cave?

    7)This is America, a country where any willing, hard working man can start a business and feed his family. I fail to see why another American would want to take that away from a neighbor.

    8) There is a tremendous amount of hate brewing inside the people posting on here. The bar should not be your outlet. Everyone who patronizes Hans bar is not an alcoholic, white trash low life. I have seen doctors, lawyers,working men, college students and soccer moms enjoying the patio and cold beer at this local establishment.

    9) convicted felon is obviously a resident and probably the leader in the cowardly attacks on the bar. I would like to rename him Taliban. It is humorous to read his ranting and just imagine his anger as he types away on the computer. Much like a cowardly terrorist with his plotting, undermining, cowardly assaults, and never coming out into the light to show his face. Why are you posting personal info about Bill Cave and then hide your identity? If convicted felon aka Taliban had a legitimate argument he would have stuck to it. Being that he does not have a legitimate argument he seeks to be passive aggressive, posting personal info, name calling, property damage, etc.. We have a name for that in Texas it is called “Chicken $hit”. The people who are joing your little campaign are “Chicken $hit” too. You know what happens to “Chicken $hit” my friend? It dries up and blows away and is forgotten. All the ranting and raving you are doing shows your elementary approach and lack of class. You can bully the surrounding businesses into ending their parking agreements with Bill Cave so he has limited parking. You can damage his business and type angry messages, commit libel, live your life angry and vengeful. At the end of the day regardless of the outcome Bill is the winner and you will remain a fraction of the man that he is. As you know Bill will dish out an assualt and settle things. While you will just be little ol’ you typing away being passive and angry. Maybe some research will tell who you are, probably find out that you have acted this way before in other disputes. Just a reminder that this great country was built on values, principles and men coming to compromise to work out their differences. Please try to remember this when you look down upon your neighbor who is just the little guy next door trying to make a living doing what he loves in a great country / state / city that gives him the right to.

    Cordially,

    American