COVINGTON — Alliea Phipps and Ezra Castle consider themselves friends, but they may soon be adversaries in a Kenton County courtroom.

        Ms. Phipps, who lives and owns a business in Covington's MainStrasse Village, said Wednesday she would appeal a 5-0 vote by the Covington Board of Adjustment that allows Mr. Castle and his partner, Cree L. McMains, to open Whistlers, a 117-seat pub, at 626 Main St.

        “I'm not surprised at all,” Ms. Phipps said of the board's decision.

        Mr. Castle held no hard feelings — he and Ms. Phipps spoke briefly and shook hands after the ruling on Wednesday.

        “All I can bring to the table is my reputation,” Mr. Castle said.

        Ms. Phipps has 30 days from Wednesday to file her appeal in Kenton Circuit Court. She said she could do it as early as Friday.

        Whistlers would be Mr. Castle's second restaurant in Covington. He also operates Sonoma on Greenup Street.

        The board granted Mr. Castle's request with several conditions, including: no entertainment or seating in the rear of the establishment, that it meet city building and zoning codes, and that it meet historic preservation guidelines.

        Mr. Castle has said he planned to purchase the building now housing Mini Splendid Things by the end of the month and open Whistlers in June. He said he would spend about $175,000 to convert the two-story property into an establishment that would sell trendy sandwiches and alcoholic beverages until 1 a.m. at least six nights a week.

        Whistlers would operate from 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, with the option of staying open until 1 a.m. Sunday if desired.

        “We're proposing to do a first-class restaurant,” Mr. Castle said. “We're investing more money than the cost of the structure. There's not many choices of food in the village in the evening.”

        But Ms. Phipps, who owns 3C Media Inc. and the Wonders gift shop and lives above her MainStrasse Village businesses, worries the new restaurant will also bring more noise.

        “I don't believe there are any people who have dinner after 11 o'clock,” Ms. Phipps said. “We don't need any more alcohol. This is not against Ezra; I am woken up quite frequently by the hootin' and hollerin'” from other establishments.

        According to Ms. Phipps' count, there are 26 liquor licenses within MainStrasse's boundaries. Covington Zoning Administrator Dan Uchtman said that number probably includes delicatessens that sell carry-out.

        Opinions among residents who attended Wednesday's board meeting were split.

        One, Walter Illg, said Whistlers would do for MainStrasse Village what Sonoma helped do for the area around the Kenton County Courthouse. But another, Scott Golz, said there would be more cars than the neighborhood can handle.

        “That's going to be 40 or 50 more cars, and I don't think we have that much parking,” Mr. Golz said. “I'm worried about the safety.”

       Cindy Schroeder contributed to this report.
       

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