Brook Pointe Inn Gets Local OK For Alcohol Permit
June 2, 2022 at 11:00 p.m.
Brook Pointe Inn Gets Local OK For Alcohol Permit
By David [email protected]
The new beer, wine and liquor license for Brook Pointe Holdings Inc., 4906 E. CR 1200N, Syracuse, doing business as Brook Pointe Inn, was the only new one before the Board Thursday, which also dealt with several license renewals with violations.
In explaining the new application, Ben Plikerd, president of Brook Pointe Holdings Inc., said, “Well, this is the first time we’ve had a lot of interest over the last 10 years or so. This is my 11th year of owning Brook Pointe.”
He said he bought it in 2011-12 and they have a “romance package” that includes sparkling grape juice provided by the hotel.
“We’ve had a lot of people want to upgrade that and obviously we can’t, so that’s been a little bit of a sticking point, and while we were in the process of doing that, rather than just going to the expense and all of that work just for that one package, we felt it best in our best interest to offer a small bar in a room in the hotel,” Plikerd said.
He said they’re thinking they won’t open the bar until “probably next year.” First, they’re going to get their feet wet and understand how to go about doing things, he said.
Board President Elim Smith asked about minors in the bar. At this moment, Plikerd said minors wouldn’t even be allowed in that room. Right now, it’s just a storage room.
After Plikerd filled out the affidavit of compliance and handed it to excise officer and Board member April Tackett, Tackett was told that the first day Brook Pointe posted the orange sign - which states the facilities is seeking an alcohol license - was May 19.
Board member Alan Alderfer asked Plikerd if he’s ever served alcohol before. Plikerd said personally he has not but he has several people on staff who have. Alderfer then asked him if he’s been trained on serving alcohol, and Plikerd said he’s personally not been trained but that’s why he has a general manager who has been.
“Because I’m not physically on-site very much. Only when problems arise, that’s when I get to show up,” Plikerd said.
Alderfer asked Tackett if she will inspect the bar before it opens. She confirmed she will. The Board approved the new license pending the final inspection. The inspection includes making sure the floor plans that were submitted with the application for a license are correct.
Tackett explained to Plikerd, “This is the recommendation to approve the license. The Commissioners at headquarters still have to make the final approval. They meet the first and the third Tuesday of each month. Once they make the final approval, then it’s just a matter of getting your permit in the mail.”
She reminded him that he can only buy his alcohol from wholesalers, and Plikerd said they have discovered that.
In other business, three licenses with violations were continued at the May meeting to Thursday’s meeting because only two of the four Board members were present at the May meeting and it takes at least three members to hear license renewals with violations. Those included La Troje, Port Winona and Warsaw Seafood. Warsaw Seafood had been tabled from April to May because no one from the business had appeared at the April meeting to explain the violation.
The first license with a violation to be heard by the Board Thursday was La Troje LLC, 115 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, doing business as La Troje, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit.
Jorge Flores, a member of the company and restaurant manager, said four to five months ago an employee served an undercover minor. He said they paid a $2,000 fine because La Troje had a previous violation, but Flores was not in charge at that time.
He said the employee had been trained about not serving minors but the employee had explained to the officer that he was busy and not paying attention. Flores said he told the server that being busy doesn’t matter - identification still needs to be checked.
The license renewal was approved 4-0.
Next up was the beer, wine and liquor restaurant license renewal for Arrow Um, 937 N. Detroit St., Warsaw, doing business as Warsaw Seafood.
Explaining the violation, Oum Um said he and his wife were at their other location so they were not present when the violation actually occurred. When they got back to the Detroit Street location, he said they were notified that a female server had served a minor without ID. Um said he didn’t know why the server didn’t think to card the minor.
The business paid a $1,000 fine and the server paid $500. The server is no longer an employee of the company.
The license renewal was approved 4-0.
No one was present for the hearing on the beer and wine restaurant retailer license for Port Winona LLC, 807 E. Canal St., Winona Lake, doing business as Port Winona. Board member Dan Woods said the liquor license was held by Jim Zachary, who died Aug. 17, 2021, and not in the business’s name.
Tackett said the only thing the family could do about the license was handle it in the courts. If it’s just in Zachary’s name and there’s nothing in writing about the license, then the license just goes back to the state unless there’s something in the courts regarding it, she said.
Since the Port Winona hearing was continued in May and again Thursday, Tackett said after the third continuance they’ll have to hear it with whatever information they have at that point. The Board’s next meeting is 1 p.m. July 7.
She said she has talked to the people who bought the business and they are applying for their own license because there was one available in Winona Lake.
Another license renewal tabled to the July meeting was for a beer and wine restaurant retailer permit for Elisabeth Thompson, Mentone.
Smith said, “It’s up for renewal but I think it would be best if she appeared before the Board to discuss that because they were supposed to have a restaurant established within two years. They didn’t.”
No one was present Thursday to represent the Thompson license. Tackett said they’ll get a letter requesting they attend the July meeting.
The license renewal had been tabled from the May 5 meeting to Thursday for further investigation.
License renewals without violations approved by the Board Thursday included:
• Mad Anthony Brewing Co. Inc., 113 E. Center St., Warsaw, doing business as Mad Anthony Lake City Taphouse, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit.
• Winona Heritage Room LLC, 901 Park Ave., Winona Lake, doing business as Winona Heritage Room, beer, wine and liquor catering hall permit.
• Lagos Steakhouse LLC, 104 W. Himes St., North Webster, doing business as Jimmy’s Restaurant, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit.
• Tippy Creek Winery LLC, 5920 N. CR 200E, Leesburg, doing business as Tippy Creek Winery, beer and wine restaurant permit.
The new beer, wine and liquor license for Brook Pointe Holdings Inc., 4906 E. CR 1200N, Syracuse, doing business as Brook Pointe Inn, was the only new one before the Board Thursday, which also dealt with several license renewals with violations.
In explaining the new application, Ben Plikerd, president of Brook Pointe Holdings Inc., said, “Well, this is the first time we’ve had a lot of interest over the last 10 years or so. This is my 11th year of owning Brook Pointe.”
He said he bought it in 2011-12 and they have a “romance package” that includes sparkling grape juice provided by the hotel.
“We’ve had a lot of people want to upgrade that and obviously we can’t, so that’s been a little bit of a sticking point, and while we were in the process of doing that, rather than just going to the expense and all of that work just for that one package, we felt it best in our best interest to offer a small bar in a room in the hotel,” Plikerd said.
He said they’re thinking they won’t open the bar until “probably next year.” First, they’re going to get their feet wet and understand how to go about doing things, he said.
Board President Elim Smith asked about minors in the bar. At this moment, Plikerd said minors wouldn’t even be allowed in that room. Right now, it’s just a storage room.
After Plikerd filled out the affidavit of compliance and handed it to excise officer and Board member April Tackett, Tackett was told that the first day Brook Pointe posted the orange sign - which states the facilities is seeking an alcohol license - was May 19.
Board member Alan Alderfer asked Plikerd if he’s ever served alcohol before. Plikerd said personally he has not but he has several people on staff who have. Alderfer then asked him if he’s been trained on serving alcohol, and Plikerd said he’s personally not been trained but that’s why he has a general manager who has been.
“Because I’m not physically on-site very much. Only when problems arise, that’s when I get to show up,” Plikerd said.
Alderfer asked Tackett if she will inspect the bar before it opens. She confirmed she will. The Board approved the new license pending the final inspection. The inspection includes making sure the floor plans that were submitted with the application for a license are correct.
Tackett explained to Plikerd, “This is the recommendation to approve the license. The Commissioners at headquarters still have to make the final approval. They meet the first and the third Tuesday of each month. Once they make the final approval, then it’s just a matter of getting your permit in the mail.”
She reminded him that he can only buy his alcohol from wholesalers, and Plikerd said they have discovered that.
In other business, three licenses with violations were continued at the May meeting to Thursday’s meeting because only two of the four Board members were present at the May meeting and it takes at least three members to hear license renewals with violations. Those included La Troje, Port Winona and Warsaw Seafood. Warsaw Seafood had been tabled from April to May because no one from the business had appeared at the April meeting to explain the violation.
The first license with a violation to be heard by the Board Thursday was La Troje LLC, 115 S. Buffalo St., Warsaw, doing business as La Troje, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit.
Jorge Flores, a member of the company and restaurant manager, said four to five months ago an employee served an undercover minor. He said they paid a $2,000 fine because La Troje had a previous violation, but Flores was not in charge at that time.
He said the employee had been trained about not serving minors but the employee had explained to the officer that he was busy and not paying attention. Flores said he told the server that being busy doesn’t matter - identification still needs to be checked.
The license renewal was approved 4-0.
Next up was the beer, wine and liquor restaurant license renewal for Arrow Um, 937 N. Detroit St., Warsaw, doing business as Warsaw Seafood.
Explaining the violation, Oum Um said he and his wife were at their other location so they were not present when the violation actually occurred. When they got back to the Detroit Street location, he said they were notified that a female server had served a minor without ID. Um said he didn’t know why the server didn’t think to card the minor.
The business paid a $1,000 fine and the server paid $500. The server is no longer an employee of the company.
The license renewal was approved 4-0.
No one was present for the hearing on the beer and wine restaurant retailer license for Port Winona LLC, 807 E. Canal St., Winona Lake, doing business as Port Winona. Board member Dan Woods said the liquor license was held by Jim Zachary, who died Aug. 17, 2021, and not in the business’s name.
Tackett said the only thing the family could do about the license was handle it in the courts. If it’s just in Zachary’s name and there’s nothing in writing about the license, then the license just goes back to the state unless there’s something in the courts regarding it, she said.
Since the Port Winona hearing was continued in May and again Thursday, Tackett said after the third continuance they’ll have to hear it with whatever information they have at that point. The Board’s next meeting is 1 p.m. July 7.
She said she has talked to the people who bought the business and they are applying for their own license because there was one available in Winona Lake.
Another license renewal tabled to the July meeting was for a beer and wine restaurant retailer permit for Elisabeth Thompson, Mentone.
Smith said, “It’s up for renewal but I think it would be best if she appeared before the Board to discuss that because they were supposed to have a restaurant established within two years. They didn’t.”
No one was present Thursday to represent the Thompson license. Tackett said they’ll get a letter requesting they attend the July meeting.
The license renewal had been tabled from the May 5 meeting to Thursday for further investigation.
License renewals without violations approved by the Board Thursday included:
• Mad Anthony Brewing Co. Inc., 113 E. Center St., Warsaw, doing business as Mad Anthony Lake City Taphouse, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit.
• Winona Heritage Room LLC, 901 Park Ave., Winona Lake, doing business as Winona Heritage Room, beer, wine and liquor catering hall permit.
• Lagos Steakhouse LLC, 104 W. Himes St., North Webster, doing business as Jimmy’s Restaurant, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit.
• Tippy Creek Winery LLC, 5920 N. CR 200E, Leesburg, doing business as Tippy Creek Winery, beer and wine restaurant permit.
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