The Pumpkin Patisserie LLC, doing business as Alchemy by The Pumpkin Patisserie, 102 E. Center St., Warsaw, received a favorable recommendation Thursday from the Alcohol Tobacco Commission of Kosciusko County for a new beer, wine and liquor riverfront license. The state commission must now approve the license request. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

KOSCIUSKO — Another downtown Warsaw business is planning to add alcoholic drinks to their menu. Thursday, April 3, The Pumpkin Patisserie LLC, doing business as Alchemy by The Pumpkin Patisserie, 102 E. Center St., Warsaw, petitioned the Alcohol Tobacco Commission of Kosciusko County for a new beer, wine and liquor riverfront license.

Elizabeth Reed, restaurant owner, explained that her business “is a restaurant, and we also have a drink bar opened daily. Right now, we’re just doing non-alcoholic drinks like coffeeshop vibe. We also do private events, seated, dinners and brunches and a private chef, as well, so people can come in and rent the space. We cook for them, and we do more casual things, we do serve more upscale meals and we are also going to start doing bagels, New York bagels tomorrow. And desserts and pastries.”

The current seating capacity is 30. Commission President Alan Alderfer asked Reed what she wanted to serve with the alcohol license.“I really want to have wine, good bottles of wine. We’re going to get some outdoor bistro tables and we have that concession window as well, so I think it’s going to attract the downtown social scene. And we  also want to add alcohol to our bevs, our drinks, that we do now,” she replied.

They also will offer alcohol for private events that request it. Reed does catering.

Commission member Dan Woods asked excise officer April Tackett about people getting a glass of an alcoholic drink at Alchemy and then walking downtown with it. If it’s not in a Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area cup, he asked if it was permissible for people to get a drink at the window.

“No,” Tackett said, then asked Reed if she was within the DORA boundaries downtown. Alderfer said her business was within DORA. Reed said she planned to be a part of downtown Warsaw’s DORA.

“So if you’re in the DORA now, she could with the special glasses just like everybody else. But if she is not doing the DORA thing — because I don’t know the DORA rules here — river and lakefront do not have any carryout whatsoever,” Tackett said.

The city makes and enforces its own DORA rules. Reed asked if her customers could sit at the tables outside of her business with their alcoholic drinks. Tackett said if the tables are on her floor plan and it’s delineated somehow.

Reed said the floor plan she sent to the state alcohol tobacco commission was marked with potential outdoor seating.

When Tackett asked if the tables were on city sidewalk, Reed said yes.

“So it has to be delineated by something,” Tackett said. “If you don’t have room for it to be delineated, then you can’t have alcohol out there at all.” Tackett advised Reed to wait on the outdoor seating because, “Once you’re in the DORA, then you don’t have to have it delineated.”

Reed said they didn’t plan to have outdoor seating until late May anyway. Outdoor seating must be approved by the Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety first.

Reed and Tackett then discussed how alcohol would be served inside the establishment. Woods made a motion to approve the new license, Tackett seconded it and it was approved 3-0. There were no remonstrators against it.

Tackett informed Reed that the Alcohol Tobacco Commission of Kosciusko County is just a recommending body to the state commission, who will give final approval to it.

Licenses without any violations approved for renewal by the local commission included:

• El Cielo Restaurant & Bar LLC, doing business as El Cielo Restaurant & Bar, location pending, Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor restaurant (210-1) license.

• JST Solutions LLC, doing business as One Ten Craft Meatery, 110-112 N. Buffalo St., Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor riverfront license.

• Meijer Stores Limited Partnership, doing business as Meijer Store No. 267, 1200 Lake City Hwy., Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor drug store license.

• Michelle Jaimes, doing business as Botanas Locas, 803 E. Winona Ave., Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor restaurant (210-1) license.

• Railties LLC, doing business as Rocksteady Pizza Parlour, 108 E. Market St., Warsaw, beer, wine and liquor riverfront license.

• Sleepy Owl Supper Club Inc., doing business as Sleepy Owl Supper Club, 11374 N. SR 13, Syracuse, beer, wine and liquor (209) restaurant license.

• Wilby’s Inc., doing business as Wilby’s Gas & Goodies, 1200 S. Huntington St., Syracuse, beer and wine dealer grocery store license.