Trace Brewing, the busy Bloomfield taproom and beer garden, is putting drag performances and some indoor DJ sets on hold after a long-running clash with nearby residents. The pause comes in the wake of state liquor-enforcement visits to events and months of complaints about loud outdoor parties that neighbors say pour into the narrow alley behind the brewery and disrupt nearby homes for hours at a time.
Brewery Slams Brakes On Shows After Complaints
Trace announced the pause in a social media post describing the taproom as “a safe and welcoming space where diversity is celebrated,” according to WTAE. Much of Trace’s programming, including drag brunches and DJ nights, has been overseen by marketing lead Aadam Soorma, who was profiled by Pittsburgh City Paper.
Neighbors Point To Alley Parties On Clement Way
“Indoor events at the brewery aren’t the problem,” neighbor Faith Saenz said, as reported by WTAE. Residents and the neighborhood group Neighbors of Trace Brewing say amplified gatherings on Clement Way have been frequent, loud, and messy, with trash and safety worries stacking up for the homes that back directly onto the alley.
State Oversight And A Noisy Permit Fight
State records show Trace submitted an application for a new amusement permit that appears on the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board June 3 meeting agenda. City leaders have been weighing whether Pittsburgh should take over noise-complaint enforcement from state regulators. At a May 28 hearing, Trace founder David Kushner said the taproom had received 27 complaints over the last three years, according to WPXI. Neighbors also point out that the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement opened an investigation and that the brewery has a recorded history of noise fines and permit disputes, outlined in a timeline assembled by nearby residents.
Trace’s Role In Bloomfield’s Nightlife
Trace has promoted itself as a community hub that brings queer-focused programming to Bloomfield, from drag brunches to DJ nights, as reported by Pittsburgh City Paper. Critics counter that amplified events, once scaled back in the brewery courtyard, have been shifted into the public alley next door and have triggered petitions and formal complaints compiled by Neighbors of Trace Brewing.
What’s Next
An amusement-permit denial or continued state scrutiny can sharply limit a licensee's ability to host amplified events and can factor into future license-renewal decisions, according to public filings in the PLCB process. For now, Trace is pausing certain shows while neighbors, city officials and state regulators keep wrangling over how to balance quality of life on the block with the brewery’s event calendar.
Additional filings and agency action are expected in the weeks ahead as both sides continue to press their cases at city permitting offices and in state hearings.
