2/8/13 - Scotty Simpsonâs Fish & Chips at 180 North First Street in Brighton has been approved over three competitors for a quota liquor license. The City Council approved the special liquor license on a close, 3-2 vote at its meeting Thursday night. The city's approval is subject to approval by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. Three other businesses - Two Brothers Coffee, Main Street Cheese Market and Kathleenâs Cookies â had also applied for the quota liquor license. The city was informed late last year that a quota license, costing the applicant just $600, was available because of population growth in the city during the past decade. Among other types of liquor licenses, a redevelopment license is $20,000 and a class C liquor license can cost $70,000 or more. A representative of Two Brothers Coffee asked council to be mindful that the West Main Street business was first to apply for the license. However, City Manager Dana Foster tells WHMI that the decision on granting the liquor license to Scotty Simpsonâs was not predicated on who applied first, but on other factors. In pleading his case, property owner Stan Schafer told council his company had invested $2.5 million in the Stonefire Bistro building and another $750,000 in the Scotty Simpsonâs building, which also houses Lynn's Cafe. Scotty Simpsonâs relinquished its liquor license recently to Stonefire Bistro, which lost its liquor license in a dispute with the former owner. The Michigan Liquor Control Commission still must approve the transfer of the liquor license. In the razor-thin vote, Mayor Jim Muzzin and Council Members Ricci Bandkau and Larry Schillinger voted yes, Jim Bohn and Claudia Roblee voted no. Shawn Pipoly abstained and Mayor Pro tem Chad Cooper was not at the meeting. Muzzin stresses the three businesses who did not get the quota license may apply for a DDA redevelopment, or regular, class C liquor license, although the state has said that no redevelopment liquor licenses will be considered until the quota license is filled. (TT)
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