Ordinance change would abolish most bars' 3 a.m. liquor license
By Peter Rugg in News
Tue., Sep. 1 2009 @ 3:56PM
A proposed city ordinance change would make it almost impossible for bars outside of downtown to maintain their 3 a.m. liquor license, says one local bar owner.
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However, there are exemptions: bars in the Power & Light District. According to the text of the proposed change, "the director may waive the foregoing gross sales requirement for a business located in the downtown economic entertainment district if requested by the applicant and the request is supported by documentation that the business should produce annual gross sales equal to $250,000.00 or more."
The changes seem written specifically to consolidate the city's 3 a.m. nightlife to the downtown area. As stated in the fact sheet for the changes, "This change should limit 3:00 a.m. closing liquor permits in residential areas and allow them in the areas of the city that are more synonymous with convention and tourism areas."
A hearing to amend Chapter 10 of the code of ordinances was originally scheduled for Thursday night's Public Safety and Neighborhood's Committee meeting, but it's now tabled for three weeks (until the September 25 session). You can find both the the text of the change and a fact sheet on the recommendation here.
"Some of the bars are going to go out of business if they do that," says Jim Hess, co-owner of Dave's Stagecoach in Westport.
Hess was notified of the changes by letter from Regulated Industries Division last week. "All it really says is they want to reduce the number of 3 a.m. licenses. The idea is that 3 a.m. liquor licenses should be only in trade areas."
Considering the hits local bars took following the smoking ban and enduring a bad economy, Hess says taking his 3 a.m. license would be enough to close his business.
"We've spent a fortune in the last year. We had the smoking ban, and that knocked my business 40 percent. And I said, 'I'll go out and get a 3 a.m. license and build a deck behind my building'. It's very expensive just to get the license, but when we finally did get it, the board voted unanimously to give us the 3 a.m. license. I started building my deck and just opened it last Friday.
"The late night people will lose their jobs, that's all there is to it, and most of my staff lives right here in Westport."
According to Hess, who's been in touch with other bar owners, the change would affect the Caddy Shack, Club Deja Vu, the News Room, Red Front, the Riot Room, Davey's Uptown Rambler's Club, Hannibals Waldo Bar and Grill, Flo's Polka Dot Lounge, JC's Sports Bar, and DiCarlo's Mustard Seed.
Regulated Industries hasn't returned a call for comment, but we'll update the post when we hear from them.
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