What ever happened to Aladdin’s?

In the beginning…

Aladdin’s Grill and Catering was a restaurant located on 153 E. Franklin St., where Artichoke and Basil now stands. A transformation from an authentic Turkish restaurant by day and hookah bar by night made the establishment extremely popular upon its opening in September of 2005. With affordable exotic food and a variety of hookah flavors, Aladdin’s brought a new Arabian identity to Chapel Hill. On opening night, the official transformation was marked by a belly dancing performance by “Russian belly dancing extraordinaire, Sasha”, a crowd favorite (DTH, 2005). This new enticing restaurant brought diversity and fun to the mainstream, white-collard Chapel Hill.

Why was it exciting?

Aladdin’s was an exciting atmosphere for students because not only did it place hookah on the map, being one of the first bars to offer hookah in Chapel Hill, but it also was an atmosphere where all races on UNC’s campus could comfortably party. Christian, UNC alum c/o 2010, noted that in the beginning, Aladdin’s night crowd was almost proportionate to the student body population. It joined white frats and sororities, with the Hispanic and black communities, while also drawing the attention of Asian and Middle-Eastern students. Because, the staffing was extremely friendly and made friends with many students, Aladdin’s became a place where the students really created their own partying environment. Also, because of the nature of hookah, which utilizes a cleaner type of tobacco, the club would fill with lavish fruit filled scents throughout the night. Students would order a Hookah for the table, with as many pipes as necessary, request songs from the dj, and dance on tabletops until 2:00AM. Students Malory, UNC alum c/o 2008, and Christian, c/o 2010, recall dancing and with manager Debora, and feeling at home in the unique environment that Aladdin’s created. It later obtained its ABC license, which allowed it sell alcohol to those of age, further intensifying the experience.

The ALE, Chapel Hill Police…

For those who don’t know, the Town Chapel Hill Police Department enforces a state wide policy of Alcohol and Law Enforcement (ALE). These undercover cops (UC’s) pose as civilians and monitor underage drinking and other ABC laws for businesses within the area. If caught either administering or drinking in violation of the law, the ALE can dispense drinking tickets to attendees and business owners. Several tickets may result in the suspension or removal of a liquor license and even the demise of a business.

The beginning of the end…

As Aladdin’s gained more popularity it started to attract a wider audience including black students and civilians from the Triangle area. Being that several of the nightclubs attracting mostly African American crowds in Chapel Hill were closing, Avalon in particular, more black students and civilians considered Aladdin’s the new hotspot. With this burst of popularity in 2006, Aladdin’s also attracted more attention from Chapel Hill police and the ALE. Christian, c/0 2010, noted that ALE was always a problem at Aladdin’s. Being that most students had great relations with the owners and managers of their favorite spot, underage drinking was common. Not only did the ALE attention halt drinking fun, but it also altered the mood of the entire club. Although fights have been reported through local newspapers, alumni most distinctly remember the hovering actions of the ALE than any violence that took place at the club.

Black Student/Civilian Relations:

It has been reported that several fights broke out at Aladdin’s night club. One fight began between two civilians ending in the arrested of 21-year old African American male charged of “disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assault on an officer” (DTH, 2006).

Feeling the pressure:

As the police attention around Aladdin’s nightlife increased, the owners may have felt pressured to alter the appearance of the club. In 2006, it started to implement a strict dress code restricting urban clothing such as “baggy” jeans, jerseys and baseball caps. Being that these dress code restrictions heavily suggest the type of crowd the nightclub wanted to exclude, Aladdin’s began to fall in line with the other, mainly white clubs on Franklin St. Alumni Christian states that he felt the dress code came as direct response to “cops breathing down their neck”.

The end..

At one point the nightclub lost its liquor license but it was then regained. It was noted by the current owner at 153 E. Franklin St. that excessive drinking tickets eventually lead to the establishment’s demise. Aladdin’s Grill and Catering closed in 2007 after only being open for 2 years.

Sources:

The Daily Tarheel Archives

Interviews from Carolina Alum

Interview of the current owner at 153 E. Franklin St.

By: Karli Jones