The beer license for Epic Sports Bar and Grill, 6925 Shallowford Road, was suspended for three days by the Chattanooga Beer Board at its Thursday morning meeting.
According to Chattanooga’s zoning ordinance, the business is a night club, which in a C-2 zone must obtain a special exception permit from the Chattanooga City Council to stay open later than midnight.
Additionally, the beer code requires that if a bar closes at midnight, it must stop beer sales at 11 p.m. At midnight, everyone must be out and the doors locked.
Chattanooga Police Officer John Collins told the board that other officers who work that area had notified him that the bar had been staying open after 12 p.m. He said there had also been some complaints from surrounding businesses about the crowds and about activities in the parking lot up to and after 3 a.m.
On Jan. 14, Officer Collins led a bar check and arrived at Epic Sports Bar and Grill around 12:15 p.m. He said he saw customers seated at tables and beer mugs with condensation leading him to believe they had just recently been sold. The citation was issued for being open beyond the required midnight closing and for selling beer after 11 p.m.
Owner of the bar Travis Johnson was made aware of these requirements when he was given a beer permit a year ago. He also followed up by applying for the special exception permit, but it was denied. He told the board that his representative who went before the City Council was not given a full hearing before being turned down. City Attorney Keith Reisman and City Council member Carol Berz, both present at that meeting, adamantly denied that the hearing was not fair. Ms. Berz said that it bothered her that after thoroughly explaining rules and regulations that a person could say they did not understand. And she said that due process had been followed at that hearing.
Beer Board member Ron Smith made a motion to suspend the beer license of Epic Sports Bar for three days. While the penalty seemed too severe to several members, Mr. Smith said he believed that Mr. Johnson was a little disingenuous when he said he did not understand the time issues. Because he did apply for the special exemptions permit he really must have had a pretty good understanding, said Mr. Smith. The motion passed on a vote of five to three. The suspension will start on Feb. 16.
A special events beer permit was approved for Gina Crumbliss on behalf of the Chattanooga Area Food Bank for the fundraiser “HullaBowloo.” This is the tenth year for the annual event. This year it will be held at Wilson Air Center, 932 Jubilee Dr., a larger venue than in the past. Last year, with 400-500 attendees, enough money was raised to provide 488,000 more meals than the year before.
The Chattanooga Food Bank distributes food to a large area surrounding Chattanooga, said Ms. Crumbliss, president and CEO of the food bank. This year, she said, the organization is hoping for 750 people. The bar, managed by Black Tie Affair, will serve wine and beer, and will possibly also have a Chattanooga Whisky tasting. It will take place on Feb. 18 from 7-11 p.m.
Three gas station/convenience stores were given permits to sell beer because of a name and ownership change. Raceway #6843, 405 Signal Mountain Road, and Raceway #6845 at 3459 Amnicola Highway, were both unanimously approved, as was Brown’s Ferry Food Mart, 541 Brown’s Ferry Road.