Business onwer requests another license extension
Published 10:50 am Wednesday, December 17, 2008
An Austin business owner has requested a third extension of his hard liquor on-sale license until his business is operable.
Jim Fisher, owner of the Leisure Bar, located at Third Avenue Northeast downtown, asked for another waiver of the minimum operational period for a liquor establishment to allow more time for remodeling. Fisher has paid the $2,250 fee for 2009 and has supplied the required liquor liability.
According to city clerk Lucy Johnson, Fisher plans to continue exterior and interior remodeling. The bar, formerly called Trader Joe’s, has not been operational since October 2006.
Currently, the city has 16 street bar licenses, but could increase that number to 18. Johnson said Monday she is not sure how many are in use, but two street bars — Thirsty’s and Showgirls — have closed in the past year.
The question, board members debated, is whether or not to allow Fisher to again renew his license if there is a limited amount of licenses and his business is again not ready to open.
Craig Hoium, community development director, said Fisher has been issued a building permit, but it includes a stipulation that substandard issues “have to be remedied,” he said.
Johnson told the council Fisher wants to remodel the building and sell it; he believes it will be of more value with a license to transfer.
Hoium said Fisher could sell the building, which has occupants living on the second story, but the buyer would have to bring the building up to standard for it to be operational.
The council voted 5-2 at a work session on Monday to recommend an extension of the license; the waiver will be on the next regular council meeting agenda Jan. 5.