Illegal Gambling Arrest At Newkirk Avenue Salon Linked To Business Closure

A beauty salon near Newkirk Plaza has been shuttered following an illegal gambling operation.

Two court orders appeared on the shuttered metal gates on Beauty Fair Unisex Salon, at 1622 Newkirk Avenue this week — one ordering the business to close, and another, a restraining order for the premises.

The store was recently linked to illegal gambling activity, according to Brooklyn District Attorney records.

Juan Pimentel, 55, was arrested for using a Cherry Master slot machine in the building, and clutching betting slips with an envelope filled with cash, say police.

He wound up pleading guilty to disorderly conduct, and was discharged on a conditional basis in May, DA records reveal.

We were unable to reach the property owner for a statement on the slot machines found in the salon, however 1622 Newkirk Avenue is owned by JLMS Realty LLC,

The red sign that reads “Closed by court order” was issued on June 8, and does not have a direct connection to the already-closed criminal case. Law enforcement sources say the sign is likely a nuisance abatement, a civil lawsuit issued by the NYPD and the Kings County Supreme Court that allows the city to shut down places connected with illegal activity — in this case, presumably, for illegal gambling.

This isn’t the first time we’ve probed “curiosities” at this address — in 2015, neighbors noticed that renovations were taking place at the 1622 Newkirk salon storefront, despite a shopkeeper’s statement that they were understaffed and business was slow. They also appeared to have be renovating the storefront without a Department of Buildings (DOB) permit.

There has been only one recorded complaint for this address — issued in 1995 and titled “possible illegal occupancy in basement (social club)” — s an issue that was marked resolved, according to the DOB.