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Fortune Teller Violates License Conditions

Friday, September 25, 2009

Neon signs were up within 24 hours of the license being granted that specifically prohibited them. After just receiving her license last week, the fortune teller at "Sophia's" (215 Hanover Street) is already violating the conditions of her license. Residents are reporting neon signs in the windows and signs on the sidewalk, both prohibited actions per the Licensing Board. Several folks also noted that she was operating well before her license was actually granted.

The Licensing Board granted Sophia Anderson a Fortune Teller license Sophia told the City's Licensing Board she would not have a sidewalk board, yet here it is.a few days ago with the conditions of a 9pm closing time, no sidewalk boards and no neon signs. Within days of receiving the license, she has violated all three conditions.

At the Licensing Board hearing, the psychic objected to the conditions, citing discrimination against gypsies, tellers and astrologists. She claims she has spent thousands of dollars on the signage. The Licensing Board upheld its provisions at the meeting and told her to take them down. So far, she has refused to comply.

Sophia's license has a 9pm closing time. This photo of the blaring neon and people inside was taken at 9:20pm on Friday, September 25.The two neighborhood groups were mixed on issuing the fortune teller permit, which is the only one in the North End/Waterfront area. The residents' association, NEWRA, voted in favor of the permit while the neighborhood council, NEWNC, voted against it. NEWRA also conditioned its approval with restrictions on signage that are currently being ignored.

Signage was discussed by Sophia and residents at several public meetings where she held up printed signs and agreed several times that she would not use neon or even have lights on the window signs. She also agreed as a condition to NEWRA's support that she not have sidewalk boards.

Per the Licensing Board, complaints can be faxed to 617-635-4742 or made in person at City Hall, Room 809A. The Licensing Board's email is not working.

My thoughts: So, not only is the whole "psychic" thing a fraud, in my opinion, but from her statements at City Hall and the neighborhood meetings, we now know that she lied to get her license. As a NEWNC and NEWRA member that voted against the license at those neighborhood meetings, I was afraid something like this would happen.

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Matt C. |

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Reader Comments (11)

Doesn't she believe in karma?

September 25, 2009 |

Astounded

This is what happens when NEWRA and NEWNC have opposite votes. Time for a united neighborhood. One voice, one goal or else this nonsense will keep happening.

September 26, 2009 |

Joyce Stephens

Those members of NEWRA who voted to support Ms. Anderson’s application did so in good faith, taking her at her word. If she felt the conditions requested of her were discriminatory, she had plenty of opportunity to object when she was speaking to neighborhood residents at the Sept. NEWRA meeting.

Ms. Anderson’s answers to questions regarding her signage were obviously lies--very short-sighted lies. It doesn’t take psychic ability to predict the neighborhood’s outrage at being treated with such contempt.

If Ms. Anderson does not abide by the terms of her llicense, it should be revoked.

September 26, 2009 |

Stephanie Hogue

Isn't it she is also making upset the people who would also like having neon? She going to get bad food she go eat at people not like her places. I'm very interesting in update story soon.

September 27, 2009 |

Peter Nikolaevna

Thank god, we need to stop ugliness like the cantina italiana sign and promote more beauty like the paesan's sign on Salem last year. This is so silly. Good luck further creating "ye olde north end".

September 28, 2009 |

Pierce

This has nothing to do with "ye old north end" and everything to do with blatant violations of the conditions put on her license by the City of Boston Licensing Board and zoning regulations concerning signage. If you like neon, move to Rte 1 or Hampton Beach.

September 28, 2009 |

Joyce Stephens

When one agrees to conditions on a license and violates them, there is an issue--irrepsective of one's personal feelings on signage (or whatever else is violated). Ideas about signage and license requirements are two totally different things. However, neon is certainly not moving forward from "ye olde Boston." Neon is emblematic of cities whose main attractions include vice, and whose distinctions are few. Boston is an international leader in medicine, education, technology, architecture, legal, biopharm and research. The Genome project is here, Akamai (not Al Gore--ha ha) "invented" the Internet. If you're looking for neon, this is not the place to find it. I would take growth and progress in fields that matter over the neon signs of lovely places like Reno. There are some who would turn this nook of the city into a regular ho bin if they could.

While I would not suggest moving, and would extend warmth and welcome to you, I would suggest using some critical thinking before just throwing alphabet soup around. Not only are you confusing two issues, but you mock us by calling our plight "silly." Life is sometimes about nipping things in the bud. Preservation and conservation are ironically two hallmarks of progress.

As for my personal feeling on neon, the only place I really like it is on the outlines of Dallas's skyscrapers. It works there. But on the street they have "no neon" policies in almost every district and strict limits on neon even in Deep Ellum, the party district.

Neon is probably the worst place to try to show yourself as progressive, or thoughtful, in any regard. Not to mention tasteful. Keeping Boston beautiful and close to its "olde" character is a wonderful thing, and is inextricably linked with smart progress.

Silly is as silly says.

September 28, 2009 |

Brian Brandt

Boston is becoming like Paris in the worst way possible - an outdoor museum. While I could care less about a neon sign, it is perhaps indicative of the old money and nimby attitudes that seem so prevalent in this city. The whole area has puritanical hangover.

September 28, 2009 |

central squared

Hello people, "Sophia Anderson" is obviously a Gypsy. They do have a little public image problem when it comes to truthfulness. Does anyone on the licensing commission ask the BPD to run a background check on these people to see if the name she is using corresponds to a social security number, drivers license etc. for the name she used on her application?

September 29, 2009 |

Surprised?

I Was at the meeting and nobody told sophia anderson not to put neons thay asked her what kinda signs and she told them so i went to her office after seeing all this and asked her she said she didint want to put neons but Bissness Was Slow So She Made a Choice To Put Neons She Remembers What She Told The Neberhood Concil about The Signs But No One Told her That She Cant Not Have Neons Thay Only Asked Her If She Will Or Will Not Have Them The Only Thing That She Aggred To is Not Telling Furtunes In Restrants in The North End And Most Every Bissness In The North End Have Street Signs And A Lot Of Them Have Neons so is it the Fact Shes A Gypsy Sophia Had Removes The Neons Signs After 6 Hours And The Street Sign And She Showed Me Her Licence And it states that her hours of operation Are Till 11:00PM So You Guys Need To SLow Down Give It A Break Stop Disscreanateing

September 29, 2009 |

Nick Veraii

I just noticed your article about representatives coming to the North End regarding street improvements. Is there anyone addressing the issue of the rat infestation on Salem/Wiget streets. The residents cannot step outside their door without being swarmed and nothing seems to be getting done. City inspectors have repreated told neighbors that trash must be barreled. Is there no one that can make this an ordinance? This area can no longer be ignored, can the Assocation provide any assistance?

September 30, 2009 |

Joanne DePalma

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