Bill Appalls Duval County’s Citizens

It is well known in commerce that the merchandise of alcohol is very strictly regulated by the relevant authorities. One reason for this is to be able to control in some way the quantities of alcohol that is being distributed, and additionally, to avoid the selling of alcoholic beverages to minors. The requirements that the state imposes so as to grant a business the permission of selling alcohol are related to specific details such as the place and the time where alcoholic beverages shall be consumed. Consequently, the United States limits the consumption of alcohol to minors below the age of 21 and does not permit the production of distilled spirits intended for personal consumption.

Furthermore, there are clear limitations on the alcohol that is merchandised by grocery stores. The fact is that the regulations differ from state to state and some counties are even given the possibility of modifying certain rules as they desire, but only to a limited extent. For instance, in the state of Florida spirits can be purchased from retail stores, but the containers should not be larger than 1 gallon. In addition to this, anyone who desires to purchase beer or wine is free to do so from supermarkets and other businesses that are given permission to commercialize low-alcohol spirits. Up to the present moment, people couldn’t purchase alcoholic beverages from retail stores and grocery stores, but a bill that was recently adopted may change the situation. The Florida House panel has recently adopted a bill that will empower retailers such as Wal-Mart to sell liquor. The reason for this is to increase the sales in craft beer. Not many are aware of the fact that state regulations stipulate that liquor has to be sold only in specialized stores and thus be separated from the rest of the grocery store. It is only natural that much opposition has arisen after the passing of this law.

The first to publicly manifest their disapproval was the sheriff of Duval County that argued the fact that this will have serious repercussions visible in the increase of underage drinking. He voiced the concern that making alcoholic beverages more available to the public does not necessarily represent the removal of a so-called barrier between businesses. Moreover, grocery chains such as Publix disagreed with the resolution taken owing to the fact that it affects the infrastructure that the grocery store has developed especially for the sale of alcoholic beverages. While many are of the opinion that this law will only be beneficial to the running of the business, the truth is that for smaller stores the removal of this wall will actually be more expensive owing to the fact that the liquor licenses costs thousands of dollars that will automatically go down the drain, not to mention the investments made in infrastructure. Additionally, many store owners and employees alike do not have the necessary knowledge of alcohol in order to know how to sell it. Despite all these arguments the bill passed with a 9 to 4 vote.    

Beneficial Changes for Palm Beach Business Owners

Whether you own a bar, restaurant or grocery store, getting a liquor license is extremely important. The main reason for this being that the federal and national laws are very strict as far as commercializing alcohol is concerned.  

Taking into consideration the approach of the busy season, bars, restaurants and shop owners should prepare for an increasing demand, especially in terms of alcoholic beverages. This means not only filling their stocks, but also having all the paperwork in accordance with the law. The summer is, undoubtedly, the time of the year when a large number of tourists, especially northern, come to Florida to spend their holidays, and one of the most popular counties is Palm Beach. However, for restaurant owners, the beginning of the season is a double-edged sword: one the one hand they are starting to have more clients, while on the other, they may not be able to fulfill their demands, due to legal concerns. For instance, if a Palm Beach bar or restaurant has international customers; it will be quite confusing for everybody to see that they can get wine and beer, but not whiskey, vodka or other hard alcoholic beverages. But this confusion is something normal for locals, since legislation regarding alcohol commercialization varies not only from one state to another, but also between the counties of the same state.

Although the facilities in the area have reached the highest levels of quality, some clients may still be disturbed by the legal limitations in terms of liquor selling and buying, especially if they come from regions or countries where alcoholic beverages can be obtained without any effort. Clients’ satisfaction is extremely important for those who want to create a strong brand and become known in the industry, which is why not being able to serve people whatever they need represents a considerable drawback. For this reason, as soon as the tourist season approaches, owners strive to get their liquor license.

Although wine and beer authorization may be easier to obtain, those who want the extra mile also apply for licenses of selling distilled spirits. Fortunately, the changes that have been recently made to the legal system of the state of Florida seem to be beneficial for those who are trying to develop their businesses. In spite of the fact that the federal law is still somehow restrictive as far as alcohol consumption and commercialization are concerned (there are certain hours when selling alcohol is prohibited, not to mention that you cannot purchase it from any grocery store), the law that took effect starting July 1^st, 2015 brought a considerable increase in liquor sales.

Apparently, with the season blooming and the laws supporting the alcohol trade, it seems that it is the perfect moment to take advantage and start (or improve) your business in the industry of entertainment. Although alcohol sales have represented an issue years ago, now it has become easier for traders to attract tourists, due to their larger possibility to offer them what they want. The law was aimed to support local businesses: at the moment, bars and breweries are able to store and transport 64 ounce growlers, as compared to 32 or 128 ounce, quantities that made the containers either inefficient or difficult to transport.

Ban on alcohol sales in Miami Beach

The reality is that at present many businesses specialize in commercializing alcoholic beverages and heavily rely on it order to make profit. At present, the income that most businesses such as supermarkets or restaurants generate is represented by alcohol purchases, whether they like to admit it or not. Not just anyone is allowed to sell wine or beer in the state of Florida and this is when the topic of liquor licenses comes into discussion. In essence, the liquor license is a special permit that gives the business the right to merchandise alcohol such as wine, beer and so on for full-service alcohol establishments. The reason for which the merchandise of beverages is regulated by the authorities is that they desire to have some sort of control over the quantities that are being sold and in order to limit the access to citizens such as children that are not yet of age.

Among the many specifications that a business owner has to comply with is the actual location where beverages can be served. For instance, you are allowed to consume a cocktail inside a bar or have a glass of wine in a restaurant. In addition to this, there are many outdoor locations in warm places like Miami Beach that have been especially set up in order to comply with the needs of clients that desire to take a drink on sidewalks and cafes. As opposed to other counties in the state of Florida that are prohibited from selling alcohol between the hours of 3 a.m. and 7a.m., Miami-Dade County gives liquor stores the possibility of operating at all hours. This is just one of the reasons for which the number of tourists that come to Florida increases each year. However, the world was surprised to find out that the Miami Beach mayor, Philip Levine, gave his consent to the passing of a new bill that prohibits both the sale and the consumption of alcohol in areas such as patios, sidewalks, cafes and many bars between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. The proposal passed from the first reading and the area targeted is Ocean Drive. The main argument is support of this ban is represented by the mayor’s belief that Ocean Drive has developed in recent years into an alarming place owing to the fact that all the night life is concentrated in this spot. By this he referred mainly to the fact that more police resources are needed in order to safeguard the citizens.

Furthermore, city hall has received numerous complaints regarding the behavior of those who consume alcohol in the sense that they have come to disturb the citizens.  Even the studies that have been recently carried indicate that the crime rate is significantly increased in Miami as compared to other cities. On the other hand, there are those who do not fully agree with the imposed ban arguing that the nightlife attracts tourists which is the equivalent of creating job opportunities and giving small business the chance to make some profit. To conclude, while many totally agree with the decision taken by the mayor, others believe that the presence of the police and the impossibility to serve alcohol outdoor will have a significant impact on the local economy.

Liquor License Bottom Line 9.11.15

Tampa Says Yes to Alcohol on Sunday

Lately, there have been plenty of discussions regarding the consumption of alcohol. It is no secret to anyone that Hillsborough County as well as other counties have been facing real difficulties, as the number of deaths because of drunk driving has certainly increased. As it is normal, this issue has raised real concerns about the adequate consumption of alcohol, making the city commission consider several rules of conduct and not only, in the hope of reducing the number and bringing security to the community. Apparently, the discussion was held around the topic of purchasing alcohol during specific hours. It seems that the local committee believes that selling alcohol on Sundays should not be permitted. As expected, this has led to a significant amount of dissatisfaction coming from the public. One has to see matters for exactly what they are. Alcohol is a business, a fast developing, and successful business. There are about 2,850 establishments, owning licenses and selling alcohol beverages in Tampa. By limiting the hours in which these establishments may sell alcohol beverages, the level of profit will certainly have to suffer.

However, it seems that this is the solution that the committee found appropriate to adequately solve the problem of drunk driving. Thus, taking a vote on this matter is of course the democratic manner of handling a rather disruptive and problematic issue. Even though everyone was sure of the result of the meeting, it of course was required to take place. Apparently, what was a sure thing did not resist and instead, the large public heard the news that selling alcohol would be permitted just before noon, between the hours of 1 pm until 11am, during Sundays. The vote was 4-3 and the commission finally said yes to a more relaxed policy, which in time will certainly have the expected results regarding drunk driving. The audience was stunned and it is only fair, given the fact that not too long ago, alcohol raids were held in Tampa. Raids that led to serious convictions for some parties. Also, discussions meant to draw attention on drunk driving were getting more and more popular, once again trying to send out an alarm signal.

Hours before the vote, the feeling was that bars, nightclubs, cafes would be losing a lot of money once the tough provisions are accepted. The decision to loosen things a bit was quickly explained by the Sheriff’s Department. It seems that numbers are looking better and the anti drunk driving campaign has had better results than anyone thought. The Sheriff believes that relaxing things a bit now, as a reward for a good behavior, if you will, is the right attitude, helping things to develop properly on the long term. Only time will tell whether or not loosening things a bit was in fact the right attitude. Hopefully, statistics were right and drunk driving is a topic that will soon be corrected.

2015 starts with changes in the Liquor Legislature

LiquorLicenseFL.com 239-205-4770 If you are operating on the bar and restaurant field, then you know very well that you are permitted to sell alcohol on the premises of your establishment only if you own a liquor license in Florida, as well as in other states across the USA. For this particular reason, you should be well aware of all the changes that could appear in legislature, as this is always changing. It just so happens that certain modifications have appeared last year, changes that have stared early in 2015. Last year, in November the bill passed Parliament, introducing new controls and measures, which aim to increase efficiency and reduce costs at the same time. There are some controls that refer to the alcohol intoxication of course in public and most importantly licensed locations. So, here are a few changes you should expect throughout the current year. Everyone knows that when legislatures are changed, it takes a while before these modifications are actually noticeable. Thus, even though the date is set and the changes in liquor licenses in Florida and across the country have commenced on 1st March, 2015, it will take some time before all entrepreneurs will get accustomed with the modifications. Just to mention a few reforms you should expect this year, you might be interested in finding out that fundraising events are no longer required to obtain a liquor license. Apparently, if the non-profit organization does not host more than 6 events each year, then it is not required to file for a liquor license in Florida or anywhere else for that matter. This change intends to raise the level of interest regarding such events and to increase the level of efficiency. Furthermore, a provision that seems to have startled up a few discussions is regarding the licenses gained by distillers and brewers. Apparently, these have been provided with the right of selling products in festivals, not to mention that the conditions of obtaining licenses have been lessened. Of course that a change of this kind could not have passed unnoticed by bar and restaurants owners, who quickly reacted, clearly stating their disapproval. Their motivation was that this reform created unfair competition and problems within the business environment. Moreover, violence is now taxed. Apparently, due to the modifications that have taken place, a bar can be taxed, when proven that violent acts occur after midnight, violence that is caused by alcohol. Several other changes of this kind have occurred. Some have already been implemented, whereas others are on the verge of being enforced. Although in essence they serve a correct goal, which is increasing the level of profit and efficiency, not all entrepreneurs necessarily believe in these reforms, nor find them helpful. It is true that bar and restaurant owners are not particular advantaged by these modifications, which is most likely the reason for which discussions and various complaints have started to appear. However, no results sustaining the efficiency of these changes will appear until the implementation process has reached its end. LiquorLicenseFL.com 239-205-4770

Big corporations ask for the right to sell hard liquor

LiquorLicenseFL.com 239-205-4770 Obtaining a liquor license in Florida is definitely a topic of great interest to the majority of individuals, as most entrepreneurs have discovered that doing business in the world of restaurants and bars is impossible without serving alcohol. There is only one problem. What if you were not necessarily running a restaurant? What if your business was in fact a store? Currently under the Florida law groceries are not allowed to sell hard liquor, which is both inconvenient for buyers, as well as highly unprofitable for owners. So, what can one do to change this reality? You might want to take a peak at what is going on with important corporations such as Walmart and Target. Apparently, these two very important names on the retail field have decided that changes in the liquor law are needed. On their side rests the public’s opinion or this is what the PR department allows you to understand. Given the newly released video, buyers find it simpler to buy everything they are in need of from a single store, everything from groceries to alcohol. It is true that with a specific liquor license in Florida, you can sell beer and wine, but not hard liquor. This has to be distributed in a completely separate retail store, hence the inconvenience. Coming back to the video released, it seems that important corporations like the ones mentioned are firm believers that a change in this law is necessary. Apparently, the public shares this view completely. Even though there were plenty of individuals rather skeptical about this entire movement, it seems that the video had a greater impact than expected. The demand is simple: hard liquor like vodka or gin should be allowed in grocery stores just like wine and beer. You might ask yourself why the government hesitates. Well, even though some might say that it is just for sake of image, as in the end the demand will be granted, there are a few good reasons that might make the officials analyze the requests in great detail. Apparently, allowing hard liquor to enter grocery stores would increase the theft risk. Also, it would offer buyers, under the age of 21, access to strong beverages, thus exposing them to potential risks. Also, making this change would contradict the term of the new modifications made in the case of the Liquor Legislature, changes that take great interest in alcohol abuse cases. However, this battle is far from being over. In fact, it has only started. Apparently, there is another video on the way, having the same purpose, which is convincing the Government that maintaining the separation between the types of alcohol is no longer suitable for society. Thus, one should definitely keep an open eye on the manner in which this problem will develop. Big corporations can be responsible for big changes, there is no doubt about it. So who knows? Perhaps they will succeed and all stores will be allowed to distribute hard liquor in the same establishment with beer and wine. LiquorLicenseFL.com 239-205-4770