Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
HopLore Brewing Company has moved into the former Pied Eyed Petey’s location on Lake Tippecanoe in Leesburg, and Hoosier Proper has moved into the former One-Ten Craft Meatery location on Buffalo Street in Warsaw.
Both businesses were approved Thursday for new beer, wine and liquor licenses by the Kosciusko Alcohol Tobacco Commission (ATC). There were no remonstrators against either permit applications.
HopLore
For the beer, wine and liquor - restaurant (209) license sought by KH Brewing LLC, doing business as HopLore Brewing Company, Stefan King, an owner, said the principle nature of the business is a bar and restaurant currently.
“We have the back half of the building, which our brewing facilities will be moving to as soon as the TTB (Tax and Trade Bureau) and state approves the move,” King said.
Excise officer April Tackett asked King to explain what was going on with HopLore’s licenses and locations.
“So, I went back and forth with Anna quite a bit down state about how best to work this because, obviously, being on the lake we want to be open for summertime. We were in our renewal period for our license that we held at the Mill, and so my questions to her were, ‘Can this be done concurrently? Can this be done at the same time? Can I do my renewal and my transfer at the same time so I can get it done for summertime?’” he said.
He felt he didn’t get a clear answer and he couldn’t take the chance of spending 12 weeks in renewal and then another 10 to 12 weeks in transfer.
“So, what we decided to do instead was to allow our old license to lapse there at the Mill and apply for a new license at this location on Lake Tippy,” King said.
ATC President Alan Alderfer asked if HopLore wasn’t going to be in Leesburg anymore then. King said the address will still be Leesburg, but they won’t be on Old 15 in town. The license for the Mill on Old 15 lapsed on May 21, and HopLore ceased doing business at that location.
The ATC unanimously approved the new license for HopLore. The local ATC is a recommending board to the state commissioners, who will make the final decision at their meeting Tuesday.
Hoosier Proper
Brothers and business partners Matt and Andrew Wallen presented their application for Goose Lake Hospitality & Provisions LLC, doing business as Hoosier Proper, to have a new beer, wine and liquor - riverfront license at 110 N. Buffalo St.
Matt said the principle nature of the business is food service.
“We purchased One-Ten Craft Meatery and we’re trying to operate and exist. Currently, we have been working under their extension process with the old license, old permit, which now we’ve run up to our own timeline of getting ours approved,” he said.
Tackett reminded the ATC that because One-Ten Meatery’s alcohol license is a riverfront license, “there’s no such thing as a transfer of ownership for those, so that’s why they’re having to apply for a new permit, for one.”
Another reason was because last month when an excise officer did his inspection of the business, it was discovered that only beer or beer and wine was applied for so the application had to be amended to include liquor.
Asked about their experience, Matt said he has 35 years in the business as a chef and food instructor. Andrew said he was Matt’s brother and backing him. Matt said he has experience with alcohol and some of his roles at other locations were mainly culinary but also in operations at Hilton Hotels in Knoxville, Tenn.; Columbus, Ohio; and several other locations.
“I’ve had permits all my life,” Matt stated.
After he explained what training Hoosier Proper provides to its employees, the ATC unanimously approved the new permit.
Ruby Tuesday
The only license renewal with a violation was for the beer, wine and liquor - restaurant permit for RT Michiana Franchise LLC, doing business as Ruby Tuesday #7368, 3308 E. Center St., Warsaw.
Attorney Lisa McKinney, partner at Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, representing Ruby Tuesday, said it was a staff violation from August 2025 in which an excise officer and a minor came in to Ruby Tuesday, sat down, ordered and the alcohol was delivered without the staff member checking identification. The permittee paid the $1,000 fine and the employee was let go. All the restaurant’s employees were retrained.
“The requirements for them is that they’re supposed to card everyone. They don’t have the scanners, but they’re supposed to look at the ID, look at the person and check it. It’s never supposed to be sold without that,” McKinney stated.
She said she was told the employee was a good one, and it was sad to lose her because it was an immediate termination and they can’t be rehired.
“But, they’re very strict on it and that’s probably one of the reasons why you’ll see this $1,000 fine and their first violation that I know of, and it’s been there a long time,” McKinney said.
After hearing about Ruby Tuesday’s training for new hires on serving alcohol, the commission approved the license renewal.
Other Permits
Renewals approved without any violations were:
• Maxwelton Golf Club Inc., doing business as Maxwelton Golf Club Inc., 5721 E. Elkhart County Line Road, Syracuse, beer, wine and liquor - restaurant.
• Jham Bar LLC, doing business as Lucky’s Tavern, 560 S. Main St., North Webster, beer, wine and liquor restaurant.
Tackett said Lucky’s had a violation, but she thought they had already heard it last year, so the commission approved it on contingent that if the violation hadn’t been heard, it would be brought before the board at a later meeting.
