MONROE - The City of Monroe Common Council spent over two hours with a facilitator Tuesday, mulling criteria, listening to license applicants and taking straw votes, before voting unanimously for the recipients of two newly-created liquor licenses.
Barrett's Brick Cafe will be issued a Class B liquor license for a $500 fee, and Fiesta Cancun Authentic Mexican Restaurant will receive the Reserve Class B license for $10,000 plus a $500 fee.
Barrett's is located just off the Square on 18th Avenue, and Fiesta Cancun is located on West 8th Street. The licenses will allow both restaurants to serve hard liquor drinks.
Pablo Acuna, a partner with Mario Lopez and Jose Savala of the Fiesta Cancun, said the business will begin expanding the Cancun space by 1,000 square feet as soon as they can, "tomorrow, if possible." Blue prints have already been drawn up, he said.
Lisa Allman, part owner with her husband Barrett of Barrett's Brick Cafe, said they will begin serving drinks "as soon as the license is issued."
With the addition of serving drinks, Allman said the possibility of expanding the restaurant services and size increases.
"We have had a lot of requests to have a banquet and small private parties," she said.
They also have the option of "taking up more space in the building," she added.
During the straw votes, council members gave Barrett's seven out of 20 votes, with each of the 10 council members allowed two votes in the first round.
In the second round, Fiesta Cancun received five votes, with each council member allowed one vote.
Three other applicants, Vince's Ristorante & Pizzeria located on 4th Avenue, Kookaburra's and Pancho and Leftie's both located on the downtown Square, were left without licenses.
Pancho and Leftie's is expecting to open Sept. 15, with a license to serve beer and wine.
Kookaburra's is a food and cooking store, and the property owners have plans to expand into a restaurant and lounge. Owner Laura Winters said the ambiance of the upscale restaurant she planned rested heavily on receiving a Class A license.
Council members determined the criteria for their decisions on who should get the two remaining licenses would include more jobs, increased tax base, ability to draw people to Monroe, the ability to expand the business and each location's uniqueness.
Each applicant was then asked to address how the criteria applied to their business plans.
Council members did not discuss which business should receive the licenses.
One regular Class B intoxicating liquor license came into being when the council voted May 5 to separate the Class A and Class B licenses, whose quota were linked by city code, and set at 30.
Separated, Monroe had 23 Class B licenses. The state sets the limit of Class B licenses for Monroe at 24, plus one reserve license.
Council set the number of Class A intoxicating liquor licenses and Class A fermented malt beverage licenses at 12 each. Class A licenses allow the sale of packaged alcohol products.
The change in license quotas began in March 2008, when Walmart requested the city expand its Class A licenses. Walmart's new Supercenter opened today with licenses to sell both packaged hard liquors and fermented malt beverages.
Barrett's Brick Cafe will be issued a Class B liquor license for a $500 fee, and Fiesta Cancun Authentic Mexican Restaurant will receive the Reserve Class B license for $10,000 plus a $500 fee.
Barrett's is located just off the Square on 18th Avenue, and Fiesta Cancun is located on West 8th Street. The licenses will allow both restaurants to serve hard liquor drinks.
Pablo Acuna, a partner with Mario Lopez and Jose Savala of the Fiesta Cancun, said the business will begin expanding the Cancun space by 1,000 square feet as soon as they can, "tomorrow, if possible." Blue prints have already been drawn up, he said.
Lisa Allman, part owner with her husband Barrett of Barrett's Brick Cafe, said they will begin serving drinks "as soon as the license is issued."
With the addition of serving drinks, Allman said the possibility of expanding the restaurant services and size increases.
"We have had a lot of requests to have a banquet and small private parties," she said.
They also have the option of "taking up more space in the building," she added.
During the straw votes, council members gave Barrett's seven out of 20 votes, with each of the 10 council members allowed two votes in the first round.
In the second round, Fiesta Cancun received five votes, with each council member allowed one vote.
Three other applicants, Vince's Ristorante & Pizzeria located on 4th Avenue, Kookaburra's and Pancho and Leftie's both located on the downtown Square, were left without licenses.
Pancho and Leftie's is expecting to open Sept. 15, with a license to serve beer and wine.
Kookaburra's is a food and cooking store, and the property owners have plans to expand into a restaurant and lounge. Owner Laura Winters said the ambiance of the upscale restaurant she planned rested heavily on receiving a Class A license.
Council members determined the criteria for their decisions on who should get the two remaining licenses would include more jobs, increased tax base, ability to draw people to Monroe, the ability to expand the business and each location's uniqueness.
Each applicant was then asked to address how the criteria applied to their business plans.
Council members did not discuss which business should receive the licenses.
One regular Class B intoxicating liquor license came into being when the council voted May 5 to separate the Class A and Class B licenses, whose quota were linked by city code, and set at 30.
Separated, Monroe had 23 Class B licenses. The state sets the limit of Class B licenses for Monroe at 24, plus one reserve license.
Council set the number of Class A intoxicating liquor licenses and Class A fermented malt beverage licenses at 12 each. Class A licenses allow the sale of packaged alcohol products.
The change in license quotas began in March 2008, when Walmart requested the city expand its Class A licenses. Walmart's new Supercenter opened today with licenses to sell both packaged hard liquors and fermented malt beverages.