An increase in population according to U.S. Census figures means additional alcohol permits in the county will be auctioned off next month.
At the Kosciusko County Alcohol and Tobacco Commission hearing Thursday, Excise Officer April Tackett told the other members, “The numbers haven’t come yet, but April 7 is our spring auction. So, normally, we have an auction every November for permits. The spring auction, finally, the state has caught up to the new Census numbers. So if the city of Warsaw has gone up enough in their Census numbers, there may be a couple permits on auction come April.”
She said the auction is always done down at the state.
“If we have one that comes across, normally, if it’s an auction permit, it’ll come across for us those pending locations, and so that’s how we’ll know it’s an auction permit,” Tackett said.
Commission member Alan Alderfer asked if it was an actual live auction or a sealed bid auction. Tackett said she didn’t know as she’s never been there for it.
“I always assumed that it was a live auction and you have to get pre-approval to even bid, stuff like that,” she said.
Alderfer asked if the local Commission pre-approves the bidders. Tackett said no, it was whoever did the background checks.
“Then, when they get it, do we have to approve that they get it?” Alderfer asked.
Tackett said they will have to approve it twice.
“If they buy it, without already owning property, it’ll come through once as a pending location and we will vote to approve just on the permittee in front of us. And then once they find an address to put it in, then they have to come back in front of the board so that we can approve that as well,” Tackett explained.
Commission member Dan Woods said that with the city of Warsaw having the riverfront district, “Warsaw has been pretty easy handing them out, all the way this way and all the way that way. Really, inside the city limits, to worry about a liquor license, pretty much you’re able to get one off the (riverfront).”
Tackett said only if a business is along that path. Woods said the city has extended the riverfront district pretty far.
Tackett said there is a formula for any new permits which may be auctioned off in April, but the formula is different for each type of permit.
For more information about the auction, visit the website at www.in.gov/atc/.
The website states the permit auction will be at 10 a.m. April 7 at the Indiana Government Center South Building, 1st Floor, Auditorium at 302 W. Washington St., Indianapolis.
Pre-bid applications will be due no later than March 24.
According to the permit auction advertising list for spring 2022 on the website, pending auction permits in Kosciusko County include: Etna Green, beer, wine and liquor, restaurant; Syracuse, beer and wine retailer, restaurant; Syracuse, beer retailer, restaurant; Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor, restaurant; Warsaw, beer and wine retailer, restaurant; Warsaw, beer retailer, restaurant; Warsaw, beer and wine dealer, grocery store; and two beer, wine and liquor permits in Winona Lake.
In other business, on the Commission’s agenda Thursday were license renewals from February and for March. The Commission didn’t meet in February due to the weather and road conditions so the February renewals were continued until Thursday’s meeting.
Alcohol license renewals approved without any violations included:
• F.C. Horse Inc., 406 S. Main St., Leesburg, doing business as Leesburg Liquors, beer, wine and liquor, package store.
• American Legion Post 258, 1st and Catholic streets, Pierceton, dba American Legion Post 258, beer, wine and liquor, fraternal club.
• MLO Restaurant Inc., 207 W. South St., North Webster, dba Ye Olde Pub, beer, wine and liquor, restaurant.
• Patino’s Mexican Grill LLC, 918 N. Detroit St., Warsaw, dba Patino’s Mexican Grill, beer and wine retailer, restaurant.
• Mallers Joyner Cinemas LLC, 1060 Mariners Drive, Warsaw, dba North Pointe Cinemas, wine retailer, restaurant.
• Ledgeview Brewing LLC, 975 Warren St., Warsaw, dba Ledgeview Brewing Company, wine retailer, restaurant.
• Walgreen Co., 2400 E. Center St., Warsaw, dba Walgreen No. 7906, beer, wine and liquor, drug store.
• Shaffner & Shaffner Entertainment Inc., 2517 E. Center St., Warsaw, dba Recovery Lounge, beer, wine and liquor, restaurant.
On the beer, wine and liquor license for Shaffner & Shaffner, Tackett said, “That used to be the old Wagon Wheel (license), so when the Wagon Wheel Theatre Inc. or whatever bought the property and stuff, they got their own permit. So, this used to be theirs so that’s why it’s sitting in escrow. They don’t know where they’re going to put it yet.”
Board President Elim Smith asked if the license would then be for sale if someone wanted to buy it. Tackett said that was up to Shaffner & Shaffner as they could hold onto it in escrow and find a new location for it, as long as it’s in the city limits.
“They don’t have to sell it. Now I don’t know, personally, if it is for sale or not,” she said.
Smith said he received a call the other day from someone asking if there were any liquor licenses for sale, but he didn’t know of any.
Tackett said when a license goes up for private sale, the seller doesn’t have to notify the state. “We wouldn’t have any way of knowing until we would actually get the transfer of ownership here,” she said.
