Coast restaurant’s 12-year fight with city is finally over. Here’s what happened
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Long Beach Market & Deli gains right to host amplified live music outdoors.
- New city leadership reversed longstanding restrictions targeting the venue.
- Deli plans weekend performances with local bands and open mic events.
Dustin van Norden celebrated with his customers at Long Beach Market and Deli over the weekend.
After 12 years of fighting city hall, he now has the same rights as every other restaurant and homeowner in the city — to have amplified music.
“This new board of aldermen and new mayor Tim Pierce all came to the agreement of what I’ve been saying for over a decade now — that this was never a zoning issue,” van Norden wrote on Facebook.
Long Beach zoning laws don’t mention amplified music, he said. “Before yesterday’s board meeting, anyone in this city could have live amplified music in any zone whether resident or business, except Long Beach Market & Deli,” he posted.
“Everybody had that except me,” he said.
“ I can honestly write a small book on all the unfair treatment we had received from the prior two administrations on this particular issue,” he said, but instead he’s ready to jam.
The action to legalize music at the outdoor stage at Long Beach Deli came quickly — just two months after the new mayor and aldermen were sworn into office. Now van Norden is making plans for his first event.
He already has an outdoor stage at the restaurant on Pineville Road, and a covered courtyard with tables and chairs. Customers will be able to sit outside, order a beer and listen to the splash of the fountain and the music.
He isn’t planning loud music, but more bluegrass, folk music and blues, likely on a weekend afternoon so kids can come with their parents and become familiar with music they can grow up appreciating, he said.
He’s also planning open mic events to showcase local musicians and is considering booking touring bands that usually don’t play around Long Beach.
The outdoor venue still will be required to meet the requirements of the city noise ordinance, “Just like everyone else is,” he said.
The only house that will be impacted by the music is across the street, and van Norden said the owners told him they can’t wait to sit on their front porch and listen to the tunes. “They’re all for it,” he said.
Those who listen to music on the deck will be able to order from the menu that features their own kogi sandwich and kogi po-boy, along with an eclectic selection of Asian dishes like General Tso chicken or pork, Southern red beans and rice with sausage, classic po-boys, Mediterranean falafel and even a Philly-style cheesesteak, along with a big selection of beer in bottles and on tap.
Van Norden said he expects it to be a nice addition to the Coast music scene.
This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
