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Following the closure of one of Powell’s longtime bars, one of the city’s hard-to-get retail liquor licenses will go up for grabs next month. The City of Powell will begin accepting applications …
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Following the closure of one of Powell’s longtime bars, one of the city’s hard-to-get retail liquor licenses will go up for grabs next month. The City of Powell will begin accepting applications for the permit in January.
Retail liquor licenses have the fewest restrictions — they can be used to operate a bar or liquor store — but are limited by population. Based on Powell’s roughly 6,500 residents, the city can only issue 14 of them at a time.
All of those licenses were in use at the start of the year, but the Backstreet Pub shut down over the summer, and owner Jennifer Sparks didn’t seek to renew her license this fall. As a result, the former Bent Street bar’s license will expire at the end of December.
The city will actually start the new year with two fewer alcohol-serving establishments, as Hickory Street also opted to relinquish its restaurant liquor license; the business had closed its downtown bistro in June to refocus on catering.
As a result, the council wound up renewing 13 full retail liquor licenses, three limited retail licenses for veterans and fraternal clubs, a microbrewery license and a restaurant liquor license during its Nov. 18 meeting. However, it might not be long before the council is asked to reissue the Backstreet Pub’s former permit to a new business.
City Clerk Tiffany Brando said Tuesday that a few people have already inquired about the retail license. Because it’s the only one available, Brando said the city will issue a public call for applications as soon as someone applies.
“... that gives anybody else that’s interested a chance to file an application as well,” Brando explained. The council will then listen to all of the applicants’ pitches at a public hearing before awarding the license.
“Give us a good business plan,” Brando said. “That’s kind of what we’d like to see.”
If an applicant needs a spot for their new business, the South Bent Street properties that housed the Hickory Street Bistro and the Backstreet Pub are both available. Hickory Street LLC’s building is currently listed for $375,000, while Bob Bole, the owner of the Backstreet Pub’s longtime location, said he’ll be putting that property on the market soon.
