Six Utah bars and eight restaurants were granted liquor licenses Thursday, including a new bar in the former home of an iconic Salt Lake City record store.
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services commission approved a permit for Earth & Stones, a bar expected to open next week at 63 E. Exchange Place, where the Heavy Metal Shop was located for more than two decades before moving 156 E. 900 South.
A club at Powder Mountain in Weber County and Wasatch Peaks Ranch in Morgan County gained equity bar licenses, which apply to members-only establishments.
Other bar licenses went to:
My Arts Place, Magna (conditional, project opening Sept. 1).
Arempas Venezuelan cuisine, Midvale (conditional, projected opening Aug. 2).
Los Cucos Mexican Cafe, 10585 State St., Sandy (conditional, projected opening Aug. 10).
Eight restaurants gained full-service liquor licenses:
Social District Bistro, St. George (conditional).
The Winery Cafe, Hildale.
Mi Hacienda LLC, Vernal.
Loma, Park City (conditional, projected opening Aug. 2).
Holiday Inn, La Verkin (conditional).
North Italia, Riverton (conditional, projected opening Nov. 1).
Cupla Coffee, Cottonwood Heights (conditional, projected opening Sept. 7).
Henry Baker, Salt Lake City (conditional, projected opening Sept. 7).
As the DABS gaveth, so it also tooketh away. Tooele’s Venus Club, a bar and concert hall, lost its liquor license Thursday because its liability insurance had expired 14 months ago, according to the commission, and the bar no longer met the minimum qualifications of a licensee.
Bar owner Brock Trease told the commission that he and the bar had fallen on hard times recently but were getting back on track. On the phone from his insurance agent’s office, he asked DABS for a license suspension, rather than a full forfeiture, so that he could come back in a month, insurance in hand, and get back to business.
Commissioner Jacquelyn Orton said she was concerned not just about the insurance lapse but also the bar’s ability to “manage [the] business appropriately.” A full forfeiture, Orton said, could give Trease the chance to “reevaluate” his management plan.
The panel voted to forfeit Venus Club’s license. Trease can apply for a new license as soon as next month and said in an interview he will “as soon as insurance comes through.” He declined to say what would happen to the bar in the meantime.
Thursday’s meeting was also the first with former state Rep. Steve Handy at the helm. Handy was appointed commission chair this month and said he “didn’t raise his hand” to lead but was “very happy” to do it.
Shannon Sollitt is a Report for America corps member covering business accountability and sustainability for The Salt Lake Tribune. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by clicking here.