Milk and Honey, LLC, 135 N. Market St., was given a caterer beer license by the City Beer Board on Thursday.
Michael Monen, owner of this business, also owns and operates Taco Mamacita, Urban Stack and started Community Pie.
Applications for a beer permit were approved for one caterer, a take-out license for two convenience stores and consumer licenses for three restaurants. One business was denied a permit.
The Westside Shop, 1221 Grove St. in the Westside neighborhood near College Hill Courts applied for a license due to a name and ownership change. Board member Karl Epperson, who lives in the area, said that a store is needed there, but not the problems that had occurred with the original business. Officer Collins said it is in a central location for three apartment complexes and functions as a gathering place. Mr. Epperson told the board that he had been approached in the parking lot multiple times in an attempt to sell him drugs.
When the original store was located there, it was announced that a full line of groceries would be sold. The previous owner did not follow through on his promise, said Mr. Epperson. In reality, only items such as soda, cigarettes, snacks, candy and beer were sold. That original store received penalties multiple times for violations of the beer code.
The new owner, who lives in New York, has hired the previous owner as store manager. Although a new owner cannot be held responsible for what happened in the past, in this case it was considered because the previous owner would be managing the store. Upon questioning, it was discovered that the first owner is married to the new owner’s sister. “The new owner wants to get around its bad behavior and is going in-house to do it,” said board member Forestine Haynes. A vote of six to three denied giving the new owner a license to sell beer.
The Bitter Alibi, 825 Houston St. is being opened by the owners of Pasha Coffee & Tea located on St. Elmo Avenue. This new restaurant is in the former location of Steelpan.
Tonya’s Pub, 5403 Wilbanks Drive in Hixson, will operate as a sports bar and “a place to hang out.” It was approved for beer sales and will be open six days a week from 3 p.m. until midnight.
A consumer license was also issued for Fox & Hound Pub and Grille, 2040 Hamilton Place Blvd.
Two convenience stores were given carry-out beer permits, Speedway #7114, 6121 Lee Highway and Kanku’s #31. This location is on the ground floor of a residential building at 301 MLK Blvd. and will not sell gasoline.
The Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon, sponsored by the Chattanooga Track Club at Ross’s Landing, will take place June 29 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Around 2,000-2,500 people are expected at this event. It is the 32nd year it has been held and the eighth time in Chattanooga. On June 27 a party will be held for the 300 local volunteers where beer will be served but not sold. After the race participants and volunteers will be provided with two beers each.
GreenSpaces is partnering with Chattanooga for the development of a better way to manage storm water. There are 13 teams participating in the contest. Around 300 people are expected at the LID Finale event announcing the winner that will be held at Loose Cannon, 1800 Rossville Ave. Both beer and wine will be available.
A long time resident of Brainerd, Paul Black, who lives near LaPachanga Restaurant on Brainerd Road, came to the beer board meeting to ask for help. That business began as a full service Mexican Restaurant. Mr. Black said it no longer is a restaurant, but is open only on weekends as a bar. He has made calls weekly to complain of the noise at night coming from the sub woofers. He has gotten no help from the police department and is not asking for the business to be closed, just for the noise to be stopped, he said. Attorney Reisman told him that the city is in the process of revising the sound ordinance to find a balance between making residents happy and allowing a business to succeed.