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Well, buy us a drink!
Last night, the liquor license held by Steven Plofker and Marlboro Loft Partners was officially transferred to Jonathan P. Rosen, of 5 Seymour Street, Montclair's municipal clerk Linda Wanat confirms.
Now that they'll be liquor at the Wellmont, we can't wait to see that proscenium.
I know absolutely nothing about how liquor licenses work, so excuse the stupidity--but if someone can shed some light on this, I'd be most grateful. Here's my question: Is it just me, or is there someting fishy about how a state-controlled entity like a liquor license can be traded among private hands for exhorbinate profits? It seems like in these times of enormous budget deficits, the state is missing out on an opportunity to recoup some cash, while private citizens who should remain nameless, continue to cash in big-time at the expense of taxpayers. Maybe NJ should take the nj transit parking passes as a model and make these liquor licenses non-transferable.
Existing licenses don't belong to the state once sold. They are regulated by the state but are bought and sold between private parties at the market rate. Of course since there are no NEW licenses issued the going rate can be large indeed. People get mortgages on these things like houses. This is why existing license holders would resist more licenses being issued, the value of their license would decrease.
These licenses are in some respects like taxi medalions in NYC. They are going for over a half million dollars now, while at one time they could be had for 5K or so. This is an investment, and I don't think it would be the state's place to tell an individual who makes this investment that he/she cannot profit from it.
A liquor license in the right sort of town is a goodly chunk of its holder's retirement fund right there.
Towns only make their own money here from annual license fees. And as of now, they cannot create new liquor licenses, though occasionally there are legislative proposals to allow just that. The amount of liquor licenses towns are allowed is based on population, and based on the low numbers of on and off-premises locations allowed, it's actually a fairly puritanical formula. The places which in actuality exceed this formula (Montclair included, I believe) do so because, when the act was passed, existing licenses were all "grandfathered" into the equation. Hence the increased value even at the onset of ABC regulations of existing licenses.
It's very much like taxi medallions in NYC: the numbers are strictly limited, so the special government-sanctioned monopoly is a valuable investment for businesses. NYC expands the number of medallions available from time-to-time by using an auction process so that value to the government is maximized.
Are establishments like the bar/restaurant in the Walnut Street train station exempt from the limitations placed on the number of licenses in a particular town?
Jerzee Giant:
I don't believe they are exempt.
From what I remember, Montclair only has 11 or so liquor licenses. Off the top of my head, they belong to:
Tierneys
Egan & Sons
The Office
Charlie Browns
Trumpets
Richie Cicere's
Lackawana Depot
DLV Lounge
Rascals/Red Cheetah (still available?)
The aforementioned Wellmont
There are different kinds of licenses with at least one for every town. After that it is based on population, one for every 7,500 I think. The different types are what allow for 4 licenses in Glen Ridge with only 7K+ in population (no one is exempt). The town issues the license which becomes a commodity unless retired and can even be held inactive. The state regulates the validity and compliance to the statutes. The government fees are just a yearly tax, like owning a dog, the selling price is a different matter, at least six figures.
And before you ask, Bottle King, Pharmacy, Country Club and Fitzgerald.
And before you ask, Bottle King, Pharmacy, Country Club and Fitzgerald.
Montclair has 12 liquor licenses, it's based on one per 3500 people. In addition, because NJ transit owns two train stations they are granted liquor licenses, bringing the total to 14. the NJ transit licenses are exempt from population standards.
Tierneys
Just Jakes
Trumpets
Richie Ceceres
Red Cheetah
Diva Lounge
DLV Lounge
Charlie Browns
Wellmont
The Office
South Park
Egan & Sons
Those are the 12, then there's the new restaurant being built in Upper Montclair Train Station, and The Eerie Saloon on walnut train station.
The number of distribution licenses have a different formula than the number of consumption licenses Y.A. Duck.
Fitzgeralds and the Glen Ridge Country Club are the only consumption licenses in Glen Ridge, because of the 1/3500 ratio.
No, Fitz and the CC are different types of licenses. The CC is a club license.
The CC is a Broad C license and identical to Fitzgeralds. Broad D are the retail licenses held by the two stores. What would a duck know anyway?
Yes, the CC and Fitz are the same license. That being said...the town of Glen Ridge should mobilize to have the CC sell their broad C license, and use a Club license (which has some provision about members only and non for profit), so that Glen Ridge can have another bar!
Why would GR need another bar. It's cheaper for the HS kids to drink at home!
"They'll be" blood, I can only assume. Amd no milkshakes will be served.
But I still wonder if there are any plans to restore the historic facade which fronted on Bloomfield Avenue. The current entrance to the Wellmont is not designed to welcome crowds of 1000 or more, nor to comfortably shelter them during intermissions.