The organizers of two special events received permits from the Chattanooga Beer Board on Thursday that will allow beer to be served. Music and Movie on the Green will be held at the Chattanooga Greenpark, 201 Riverfront Parkway on Saturday, July 3 from 7-10:30 p.m. It will be a family friendly event starting with live music by the Nubreed Band followed by the movie Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse.
Bartenders with ABC licenses will check IDs and issue wrist bands.
Security will be provided by the Chattanooga Police Department. The officers, with help from the Downtown Chattanooga Alliance will monitor the event so that no alcohol leaves the area.
On Friday night, July 2, another event will take place outside at The RedBud, 2314 E. 13th St., a new venue that is still under construction where the owners are remodeling an old church. Music for “Citico-Live at the Redbud” will be a local bluegrass band that will perform from 7:30-10:30 p.m. The event on Friday night will be held in the large fenced-in area behind the building. A license food vendor will be present selling barbeque. The owner Bill Brent is advertising the event on Facebook and expects a small crowd for this initial event.
A violation of the Chattanooga beer code from August 23, 2020 was heard at the Thursday morning Beer Board meeting. Jennifer Keehn, owner of Inversion Circus & Arts Performance Center, 2315 Cannon Avenue was charged with holding a special gathering without getting a required, special gathering permit from the Chattanooga Police Department Regulatory Bureau. The business is a dance studio in a 5,000 square foot building that can accommodate large events.
Ms. Keehn told the board that she had been contacted by Ladell Careathers, an event planner, to use the venue for a small event for college students. “The event was a disaster,” she said. Careathers signed a contract with Ms. Keehn, that included no alcohol and that there would be security. He also told her that he had gotten a special gathering permit. “I tried to do due diligence,” she said, but didn’t follow up by checking him. That night the police were called for shots fired and spent bullets were found in the parking lot. Ms. Keehn said she has not allowed another party to use the space for an event since then even though it would be a good source of income. At a previous beer board meeting Careathers was found guilty of holding an event without a permit at both the Inversion Circus & Arts Performance Center and at the Alton Park Development Center.
The owner of a venue is jointly responsible for obtaining a Special Gathering Permit, so Ms. Keehn was penalized with a confirmation of the violation and a $25 fine. The board members encouraged her to have more special events at her building but to learn the right way to do it.
Four applications for beer permits were approved on Thursday. The Leapin’ Leprechaun Pub and Eatery, 100 Market St. has expanded into two more adjacent units in the building. This will double the occupancy to 99 for the larger space. Because of the change in the physical building, a new beer license was needed.
Before it was approved, the owner of the business, Brendan O’Doherty told the Beer Board the steps he has taken to reduce the noise which had brought him to the Beer Board last month. Since that time, he said music is from a juke box instead of live bands and speakers are hung not attached to the walls. The patio now closes at 2 a.m. An awning has been expanded over the street to help reduce noise from traveling up toward the living areas of the building. He said he is also in the process of getting quotes for spray foam insulation for the ceiling which would be shared with the homeowner’s association.
Rosecomb, 921 Barton Ave. is a new bar/restaurant that is located in a 1920’s bungalow in a residential area. The grand opening was last night. The business already has a license to sell liquor and wine and with the approval of the beer permit, will also be selling local beer on draft. Only customers who are 21 and older will be allowed in. For now, the business is open during the week from 4 p.m. until midnight and closed on weekends.
Aloft Chattanooga Hamilton Place, 2090 Hamilton Place Blvd. received a consumer beer license at the last Beer Board meeting. On Thursday, the hotel was also approved for a Carry-Out beer permit that will allow hotel guests the convenience of picking up a beer in the self-service lobby market along with snacks to take up to their rooms. The lobby market is located in an alcove directly across from the front desk where sales will be monitored and it will be paid for.
Old Gilman Grill, across the street from the Westin Hotel at 216, W. 8th St., is changing the management of the restaurant and bar. That change requires the business to reapply for a beer permit and transfer the permit to the new management. It also requires passing a new building inspection. Until the building inspector gives approval, the business will be able to operate on the old beer license until July 16. The owners have agreed that they would accept responsibility if any violation occurs before it is transferred to the new management.