The Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control rejected applications for alcoholic beverage licenses that were filed by a woman looking to establish businesses in two vacant Park Row buildings. A state official said they were rejected because of incomplete information.
Joy Miller of Bowling Green filed last month for a restaurant liquor, wine and malt beverage by the drink license for a business at 427 Park Row, former site of the Twisted Tap, along with a quota retail drink license for a business proposed at 423 Park Row. The second location was once home to a bar called The Brewing Co., and Miller planned to do business under the same name at that spot.
The former Twisted Tap, which closed in April, has also hosted a bar called Utley’s and a Tex-Mex restaurant known as Briza Azul in recent years. Miller sought to do business there as The Question Mark.
Miller filed paperwork with the Kentucky secretary of state’s office organizing those entities Jan. 22, according to the office’s website.
Trey Hieneman, public information officer for the state alcoholic beverage control office, said this morning the applications were rejected and returned to Miller because of incomplete information.
“Once they are completed, they can be resubmitted,” Hieneman said. “They didn’t answer all the necessary questions.”
Hieneman said he was not sure which parts of the application were left incomplete.
Applications for licenses in Bowling Green undergo local scrutiny before they can be reviewed by the state ABC.
David Lyne, city license division manager, said anyone applying for an alcohol license in the city has to apply for both city and state licenses.
After the licensing division reviews the paperwork to make sure it is in order, the applications are forwarded to Bowling Green Police Chief Doug Hawkins, who serves as the city’s ABC administrator.
If the application gains Hawkins’ approval, it is returned to the licensing division and the applicants can then seek state approval.
Applicants for a state license must list all owners of the private corporation or limited liability company seeking the license, list the trustee if it is owned partially or wholly by a trust and give the names and ownership percentages of the top three officers of the entity owning the corporation or LLC.
Statewide criminal background checks for all primary corporate officers, the three highest officers that own the corporation or LLC and any person owning more than 10 percent of a privately owned corporation also must be attached to the application.
After the state ABC office receives a completed application, the office assigns an inspector to schedule a site inspection and interview with the applicants or their legally authorized representative.
A second inspection is required if construction or remodeling at the premises was incomplete at the time of the initial inspection.
Applicants must advertise their intention to seek a license in a newspaper in the same area as the premises to be licensed. Anyone can protest the granting of a license by notifying the state ABC in writing within 30 days of the date of the published ad.
Miller did not return a message seeking comment.
The properties, owned by the Dr. Chris Taleghani family, served many years ago as the Gerard Hotel and were constructed in the early 1880s by the Gerard family, who emigrated from France and arrived in Bowling Green in the 1830s and operated a funeral home for several years.
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