September 12, 2013

The problems are continuing for the Watusi II at 45th and Locust and its owner Noel Karasanyi. The bar’s commercial activities license has been revoked for “serious tax violations,” according to a sign affixed to the building dated Sept. 11.

The business owes about $37,000 in back taxes, according to the Revenue Department website. The closing of Watusi II follows The closing of the Watusi Lounge at 46th and Walnut earlier this month due to an expired food license. Both bars are owned by Karasanyi, who has a Yeadon address listed on tax and real estate documents. Karasanyi also owns the Third World Lounge at 49th and Baltimore.

All three establishments have received complaints about late night noise and fights. Three people were shot near the Watusi Lounge on Aug. 30 and the Third World Lounge got some brief citywide publicity for its second-floor “pee pipe” that drained onto the sidewalk along 49th Street.

The Watusi II was briefly closed and put up for sale in 2012, but later taken off the market and reopened. The cease operations sign at the Watusi II lists its name as “Spider Kelly’s,” which is the name of the establishment before it was sold in 1988. It still retains that business name in city records.