Liquor now flows freely in once dry Oberlin

Oberlin students thirsty for something besides a beer may not have much longer to wait to imbibe at local businesses, unless they're under 21.

The first of several possible new liquor licenses which were requested following last November's ballot measures allowing the sale of wine, mixed drinks and, in some cases, liquor, was approved in the last days of March by the Ohio Liquor Control Board.

Most businesses had applied for a D-2 classification, which allows the sale of wine, beer and low-proof (less than 21% alcohol content) mixed drinks until 1 a.m.

Patty Haskins of the Liquor Control Board confirmed that on March 30, a D-5 permit was issued to the Tea and Noodle House. The D-5 gives a business "nightclub" status, which allows the full privileges of the D-2, as well as permission to serve hard liquor by the glass and to remain open until 2:30 a.m.

After last year's elections, the Board began processing applications for liquor licenses. Haskins explained that the evaluation process was delayed by the number of applicants who needed to be reviewed on an individual basis. "One reason applications may have taken a long time to be processed is that they are processed in the order in which they are received," Haskins said The process was also complicated by the fact that any application remains on file waiting to be processed until the laws change or there are openings under the quota for a given permit. For example, there are only four businesses in Oberlin at any one time allowed a D-1, the permit that allows a business to sell beer.

Businesses often apply for permits even before the laws change, in order to be the first to be processed.

Strangely, there was one application left on file from 1972 that had to be dealt with first. Haskins explained that once an application is being re-examined, the Board must notify the business in question that the application fee must be resubmitted within 30 days. The applicants must also be contacted to verify that they are still interested in obtaining a permit. In this case, a lot of time was spent by the Board looking for the over-eager applicants. As a result, it took some time before the Board was able to begin reviewing the applications from Oberlin-based businesses.

Another business that applied for a permit was the Foxgrape Café. Although owner Alana Kelley applied for a new permit the day after elections, her application was not approved until late April. Haskins said the Foxgrape's application and fee was not received until Nov. 13. In addition, the Board is required to physically measure if there are special buildings like schools or churches within 500 feet of the applicant's establishment.

According to Haskins, there were several reasons for other delays. These included the necessity for timely filing of documents, personal identification and the fingerprinting of all individuals involved and an investigation into the financial history of the applying businesses.

Other businesses are also applying for new licenses. The Black River Café was issued a D-2 on March 15, but it was not delivered until mid-April because the Board did not receive certain documentation, according to Haskins. Meanwhile, the processing of the application from Gibson's was not begun until Dec. 22 because it was the fifth business in line. Haskins said there was still an outstanding print card on one of the individuals involved, and questions remained as to the proximity of some of the businesses to the Oberlin Public Library and the First Union Methodist Church. Nevertheless, Gibson's received its D-2 in early May.

Finally, the Feve's application, which was filed on Nov. 16, has been approved but not delivered because the Feve owners need to cancel their current D-1 license. Haskins explained that businesses generally won't do that until everything else is prepared. The Feve has announced its intentions to open its new liquor bar at the beginning of the school year.

The most common reason for applying for these new permits was to stir up new business. Kelley said "The food that we serve really complements wine and spirituous liquors." According to Kelley, some people have been driven away from the Foxgrape due to her inability to serve alcoholic beverages. "People don't come because we don't serve liquor. Some will call to make reservations and ask if we serve wine. When we tell them we don't, they say, 'Oh, nevermind.'"

Not anymore. All five local businesses that applied for new permits have received the approval of the Board.