Alcohol Commission OK’s License Transfers, New Winona Lake Package Store Permit
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
The owner of Yamato Steak House of Japan in Warsaw is opening a sushi, hibachi and Chinese restaurant on North Detroit Street in about a month.
Thursday, the Kosciusko County Alcohol Tobacco Commission approved the transfer of a beer retailer restaurant permit and a beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit for the business that will be located at 937 N. Detroit St., Warsaw.
Limin Ghao, owner of Tai Xing Inc., doing business as Sushiko, said they will offer sushi, hibachi and Chinese food as well as alcohol and it will be her second restaurant in the city.
Excise officer April Tackett said the license is being transferred from the Cajun Seafood restaurant owned by Arrow Um.
The Commission unanimously approved the transfer. When Tackett asked when the restaurant was going to open, Ghao said “maybe next month.”
The next transfer before the Commission was for a beer, wine and liquor permit for YOLO22 LLC, doing business as Silver Inn Tavern, 105 E. Main St., Silver Lake.
New owner Jaime Burkett said the principal nature of the business will be a restaurant/bar. The license was being transferred from Lance Parker to her and Burkett will be the sole owner. She didn’t plan to change the floor plan.
Burkett did not have her affidavit regarding her notice posting, but Tackett gave her information on where to download the affidavit and how to email it to her. The Commission approved the transfer of ownership pending the affidavit be provided to Tackett.
The last permit application was a new application from HPR Beverage Inc., location pending in Winona Lake, for a beer, wine and liquor package store.
Representing HPR, Attinderpal Khalsa said the principle nature of the business will be a three-way package liquor store. Tackett said with the location pending, no sign needed to be posted for the alcohol license.
“I, personally, me and my wife, have four active locations and about 10 pending permits for package liquor around seven different counties,” Khalsa said. “We’ve been in business for the last five years without any violations.”
HRP is owned by family members who want to expand their business as well, he said. They have gas stations in St. Joe County.
“So, we happen to find out that there is quota available in Winona Lake through the state and we applied for it,” he said.
Tackett asked if the permits in Grant, Huntington, Kosciusko and Allen counties are all his family’s permits and if they are gas stations or package stores. He said they are package pending locations.
Commission member Alan Alderfer asked if he was looking for a location for a package liquor store. Khalsa said yes and they sought the permit before purchasing a property, but they have a realtor working with them.
Alderfer asked Tackett how long did they have to find a location. Tackett responded they had up to five years to keep the permit in escrow, but after the first two years they have to send a letter every six months to the state commissioners about their progress.
“Five years is the max that you can keep a permit in escrow,” she said.
Dan Woods, commission member, asked if it was going to be a package store and not a gas station and Khalsa said that was correct. Tackett said wherever they find a spot has to be inside the town limits of Winona Lake. Once they find an address, she said they also will have to come back before the local ATC for the location to be approved as well. Thursday’s action was just to approve the permittees.
Khalsa said they were aware of the distance the store will have to be from schools and churches. “That’s a hard find,” Woods said. “We’ll try,” Khalsa said.
Woods made a motion to approve the permit and it passed unanimously.
Two renewals without violations also were approved by the commission Thursday. Those included:
• El Arriero #2 Inc., doing business as El Arriero, 819 N. Detroit St., Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor restaurant permit.
• Little Tomato Inc., doing business as Westmain Tavern, 201 W. Main St., Syracuse, beer, wine and liquor riverfront and lake permit.
