The Beer Baron update

Thursday is Liquor Board Day, and today’s docket is chock full of meaty, juicy updates and a MAIN EVENT with ramifications that could potentially change the way many, many people will be spending their weekends this summer.

So let’s break down a few of these outcomes, shall we?

(The MAIN EVENT will be updated as results are forthcoming, all 1pm cases are set as of this post – so keep your eyes peeled on this space)

Blake Smith, David Smith & Douglas Schmidt, Bagby’s Bistro, LLC T/a Bagby Pizza Company, 1006 Fleet Street – Class “D” Beer & Wine License –Requests for expansion and outdoor table service: The folks at Bagby Pizza Co. applied to have outdoor seating at their establishment a while ago, an attempt to occupy the now vacant walkway between their joint and the adjacent building. Coupled with their BYOB license, this could make for some pretty awesome spring/summer dining experiences for fans of Bagby. VERDICT: POSTPONED.

Marla Anne Streb & Mark P. Fitzgerald, Niki, Inc. T/a Café Velocity, 1739-41 Light Street – Class BD7 Beer, Wine & Liquor License – Transfer of ownership and request for outdoor table service: These are the new owners of Bill’s Lighthouse Inn, the beloved SoBo establishment which brought misty-eyed commenters out of the woodwork a little while back when we posted on the apparent sale of the establishment. Outcomes aside, outdoor seating in that part of south Baltimore could be the best or the worst thing to happen in a while… VERDICT: POSTPONED.

Justin Dvorkin & Donald Kelly, Charm City Cantina, LLC T/a Charm City Cantina, 200-02 W. Pratt Street – Class “B” Beer, Wine & Liquor License – Application for a new Class “B” Beer, Wine & Liquor Restaurant license…: 200-02 W. Pratt St., aka “The Nest” now has new ownership, and these guys apparently want to call it “Charm City Cantina” and must reapply for outdoor seating, live entertainment, and the right to cater off premises. Hopefully they have better luck than The Nest did. VERDICT: APPROVED

Phillip Osika, BOAJ, LLC T/a Lil’ Phil’s, 706 S. Broadway – Class BD7 Beer, Wine & Liquor license – Application to transfer ownership & location…: Apparently the owner of Lil’ Phil’s in Fells Point has purchased the liquor license for the now-shuttered and immediately missed Burke’s Restaurant on Light St. downtown, which now means Lil Phil’s will be able to stay open 7 days a week until 2am, and has a liquor license to spare… if approved. It would be interesting to see what they do with the additional license. VERDICT: APPROVED.

AND THE MAIN EVENT: Richard Swirnow, Parkway Swirnow, Inc T/a Tabrizi’s Restaurant & Sorso Café, 1221 Key Highway – Class BD7 Beer, Wine & Liquor license – Petition from community signed by 14 individuals requesting that a hearing be held under the provisions of Article 2B §10-403(a)(1) to revoke this license for false statements made by the licensee in his 2010 renewal application and to revoke the license to promote the peace and safety of the community.

The Tiki Barge, as it has been well established by now, has been under a lot of pressure by the residents of Harborview, a few of which are collectively protesting the Barge’s liquor license and want them shut down. The matter is complicated, as the liquor license falls under the Harborview (neighborhood) property’s restaurants, but resides in Harborview Marina, two separate entities (as far as HOA’s are concerned). The complaints run the usual gamut, from rowdy crowds to too much noise to the illegality of the Barge’s existence as a bar in the first place. I’ll spare the editorial for now but the hearing is bound to be full of pissed of residents and slip owners (the ones with legitimate complaints), and is bound to be a doozy. Stay tuned after 3pm to learn the fate of the Tiki Barge!

UPDATE: Some quotable notables from the first hour of the hearing, which is now in its 2nd 3rd 4th hour, via @midnightsunblog. Over 30 people have been sworn in to defend/decry the establishment.

Tiki Barge is like Jekyll and Hyde!

The Barge’s popularity spread like wild fire, and that fire consumed our community…

we hear a barrage of noise through the summer when these people drink (from the barge)

Ive never had an unpleasant experience at tiki barge

how can you differentiate between animal and human urine?

THE FINAL VERDICT: NO VERDICT. The parties have three weeks to work out their differences. More details at Midnight Sun.