Following the closure of Sidekick’s bar and grill due to a licensing issue, I asked the City for official comment on the availability of other license types that might have allowed the business to continue operating. Read the full question and the City’s response provided by the City’s Public Information Officer below.
Question:
The owners of Sidekicks withdrew their application for a hotel/motel liquor license and preemptively closed their business because they were not in compliance with the requirements of a hotel/motel license. Was a full Retail Liquor and Beer Sales license available to Sidekicks? And if so, what would it have cost them to secure that license and remain in business?
Answer:
As of this moment there isn’t an available retail liquor license from the City of Minot. However, Retail Liquor Licenses are transferable and an entity would be allowed to purchase a full retail license from a current holder if it were on the market. As for the city, we currently have one remaining beer and wine license available and we do not have a cap on restaurant or hotel/motel licenses. Those have strong restrictions.
Following a months-long debate last summer about the increased regulation of supper club license holders, I published the following informational piece and editorial on Minot’s liquor licensing laws. It explains in more detail the population-based quota system we have in place. Read it here.
