Acting on numerous complaints, the Chattanooga Police narcotics unit did a check on Jeannie’s Harley House, 3715 Rossville Blvd., on July 13. While officers were en route Officer John Collins, on behalf of the Chattanooga Beer Board, was called to the bar. As the search was taking place, Officer Collins witnessed the other officers’ discovery from behind the bar of a variety of pills, cannabis candy, several bags of marijuana, gambling devices, $12,000 in cash and a loaded gun wrapped up in a jacket.
Responding to questions from Johnny Houston, the attorney representing Harley House, Officer Collins said the standard protocol is to photograph items as they are found before they are moved. The photos were available as evidence at the beer board meeting Thursday morning.
The owner, Jeannie McDougal, took responsibility for the items that were found claiming that she lived at the location part time saying they all belonged to her. The lab report has not yet been received for the pills that were found, and Ms. McDougal has criminal charges pending and did not testify at the hearing Thursday. She was faced with three charges that are violations of the beer code - possession of marijuana, possession of controlled substances and having gambling devices in the bar. The motion to suspend the license for Harley House for 30 days, starting Aug. 25, passed unanimously.
A new market will be opening next Monday at 730 Chestnut St., across the street from the Mountain City Club. The owners of Clemons Street Corner applied for and received a beer license for the business that they described as miniature Enzo’s Market. It will be a combination grocery and convenience store, and a full service deli selling sandwiches, beer and wine. It is on the ground floor of a building that is being converted into condominiums.
The Read House at 827 Broad St. has a new owner, Avocet Properties, Inc. Because of the ownership change, a new beer license was required. The food and beverage manager represented the owners at the beer board meeting, and said that the policies will not change, but maybe become a little stricter. The practice is to ID everybody including hotel guests. The beer license was approved with a unanimous vote.
Mimi Mini Market at 2304 Glass St. also has a new owner, Dominique Appleberry, and was given a beer permit after the warning from Board Member Lee Dear that people in the neighborhood would try and take advantage of her, so to be prepared.
Thomas Sexton, owner of the yet- to- be- opened bar and restaurant, T.84. Lounge, 1306 S. Willow St., was told that his application had to be tabled. The previous business at the location was The Willow Street Inn, which had continued as a restaurant after it lost its beer license. The business is in an R-2 zone that allows only single-family homes and duplexes. The building was never meant to be a house, and the use as a restaurant was grandfathered in when the zoning was established 10 years ago. When a beer license is revoked, there is a specified maximum amount of time allowed for a business to get another license and resume beer sales. If that time expires, the business looses the grandfathered status. So a business operating there can sell food but not beer.
Mr. Sexton was told that the beer board will not be able to hear the application until the zoning matter is resolved. The only way he will be able to sell beer, is to have the property rezoned, and that can be up to a 90-day process, requiring a hearing by the Planning Commission and then the Chattanooga City Council.
The application made by Tim Hennen for Bones Smokehouse, 7601 E. Brainerd Road, was held up because a small section of line from the fire alarm system had not yet been inspected. For someone who has contributed so much to Chattanooga, said Chairman of the Beer Board Christopher Keene, he called a special meeting to facilitate the opening of the business. The board will have a special meeting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday in the lobby of the City Council building to approve a beer permit for this restaurant.
A special events beer license was issued for the final night of the Riverfront Nights concert series. On Saturday, Aug. 27, at Ross’s Landing, the free concert from 6-11 p.m. will feature Jason D. Williams.
The third year of the River Gorge Omnium Bike Race will take place Aug. 26-28, with the start and finish lines on Market Street. Viewers will be able to buy beer at three tents operated by different vendors. The Pickle Barrel’s tent will be at 1012 Market St., Hutton and Smith will have a tent at 12th and Market, and Heaven & Ale will be set up in the parking lot at 1001 Market St. Beer will be sold from around 9 a.m.-10:30 or 11 p.m. on Aug. 27.
Run Chattanooga, formerly The Scenic City Mud Run, will take place at Greenway Farms, 5051 Gann Store Road, on Saturday from 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Food trucks will be available as well as beer. This year the beneficiary will be the organization “Run Chattanooga, LLC.”
A conference for tow trucks will take place in Chattanooga in September. Because this is the 100-year anniversary for the industry, there will be a parade that will end at Ross’s Landing where a concert and small fireworks display will take place. A beer license was granted for this special event which is expected to draw mostly people who are attending the conference. It will be held Sept. 10 from 5-11 p.m.