Naperville adds tavern license, angers business owners

Naperville officials, criticized by owners and operators of several downtown bar and grill establishments for allowing a sixth liquor-only establishment, are attempting to make peace by revisiting the rules associated with the city’s most-popular liquor license.

Councilmen, Tuesday, agreed to reconvene Mayor George Pradel’s Downtown Liquor Subcommittee, drop the “downtown” and add two restaurant representatives from outside the downtown and revisit rules associated with a Class B liquor license including closing time and kitchen restrictions.

The council came under fire Tuesday for adding a sixth Class C license, which allows taverns to exclusively serve beer and liquor, to make room for the new World of Beer tavern proposed for Freedom Commons. The Florida-based chain boasts a 500 bottle and 70 tap beer menu.

According to that license issued on July 19, World of Beer will be allowed to operate from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The bar will also be granted entertainment permits for live music, an outdoor seating permit and a permit that allows for beer sampling.

Competing bar and grill owners said Tuesday that they never expected the city would add a new tavern license since they were rarely handed out in recent decades because of the loose restrictions.

Jimmy’s Grill owner Jim Bergeron said he’s been bombarded this summer by the mayor’s subcommittee on issues ranging from his hours to outdoor seating. More than 60 percent of his costs, he said, come from the kitchen side of the operation.

“We just sat through another subcommittee for two months talking about further restrictions on Class B licenses and then we give a tavern license out,” Bergeron said. “A tavern license, pretty much is the golden ticket. There’s no restrictions on how the operate. They have better flexibility on hours. They can sell package goods. They don’t have to have a kitchen. They don’t have to serve food. There’s no restrictions on the liquor they sell. I can’t see how this isn’t a 180 degree change in policy.”

Riff Menza, owner of Features Bar and Grill said he actually thought the World of Beers concept was a good fit for the city but never expected the council to issue a new tavern license.

“That concept is hot right now. My only fear is that big white elephant on the street,” Menza said. Some people do whatever they need to do to make their business work so I’m afraid if it becomes not so popular, they’ll change what they’re doing to make their payments.”

Pradel, who serves as the city’s liquor commissioner, said he appreciates the creative business ventures that entrepreneurs have presented, even those that cause him to reconsider limits of city liquor licenses.