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Sunday, December 20, 2015

Headquarters Live Wants A Full Liquor Tavern License & Underage Patrons

In another strange event at the County Council Meeting last Tuesday, the owners and their attorney confronted the Council asking for their blessing to get a full tavern license, (including hard liquor) while also allowing underage patrons to participate.

Their attorney stated that there is such a venue in Montgomery County but excluded the full details such as the other establishment also serves food and Headquarters Live does not. 
The owners were asking the Council to support new legislation that would allow them to do this and guess what, the majority of Council Members agreed.

Once again, it's all about who you know. You have one Council Member who wants to start manufacturing marijuana and he'll quit the Council once his influence allows he and his partners to obtain the license. 

You have an entire City Council who SOLD the building to Joey Gilkerson and Brad Gillis under the pretense that it was going to be an arts & entertainment venue. Many other local bars and restaurants fought the original concept because they felt it would compete with their businesses when they, (together) have invested millions of dollars into their businesses and this building was being sold for $70,000.00. 

Now all of a sudden, (as politics usually go in Salisbury) they want to change the original concept and agreement. 

What's even more interesting is the fact that once again, this was brought in front of the County Council. We published an article yesterday that went nuts referencing the Liquor Dispensary wanting to give away free shots to the public and just like Headquarters Live, THEY HAVE NO SAY! 

So why, might you ask, are they even confronting the Council. Well, because they want to go to the Liquor Board with strength by saying the County Council agrees to this. Funny how they haven't gone to the CITY Council where they are located and or where the original agreement for sale was created. 

Now look, it's no secret that I like Joey Gilkerson and Brad Gillis. Heck, I even like Palmer Gills. I'm a firm believer that everyone should have their chance at success. However, I'm also an individual that stands firm on being a "man of my word". Especially if I sign a contract stating I'm committed to something. 

The Liquor Board need not support NEW legislation that only serves special interests. This group knew what they were getting into when they purchased this building and they need to abide by those terms. 

As for John Cannon, STOP allowing this waste of taxpayer money by allowing special interests to present their case in front of an uninformed public on live TV. Heck, I can guarantee not one of the Council Members looked up the agreement these gentlemen made with the City in the first place, yet they support it without any background information. Is that the kind of legislators YOU want representing you? How many federal laws have been passed where no one read the actual language before it was passed!  

It needs to be noted that there are two kinds of tavern licenses. 

One is for beer and wine and does allow under age patrons. The second is  also a tavern license but it includes a full liquor license, yet it does NOT allow anyone under 21 on the premises. Headquarters Live has the beer and wine license but wants to expand to full liquor while asking state legislators to change the law by allowing under age people on the premises. 

Finally: the City Council sold that property under the pretense that the buyers were going to open a business with a family atmosphere to attract SHOPPERS into Downtown Salisbury, NOT just come to that one business and leave. It was never the understanding this was going to be just another Bar.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

but this will make the downtown area flourish and save the plaza!


that was sarcasm

Anonymous said...

If no food is served its called a BAR no one under 21 should be allowed no matter what. The license they have now allows under 21 to enter? Thats nuts!

Anonymous said...

Joe, keep up the good reporting on this stuff including the marijuana licenses in Worcester County. You are the ONLY news source that has the balls to report these stories.

Anonymous said...

Good Old Boy system again. Let them have their way. Maybe a screw up is coming and someone will get in their pockets. Dbury is done anyway.

Anonymous said...

LOL 8:37 ain't that the truth. Oh how all jazzed up they got. This "music venue" was going to be the answer and Downtown was going to be booming.
Well let me say it loud and clear "TOLD YOU SO!" And just so it's clear "TOLD YOU SO!"
It was a completely stupid and foolish idea from the beginning and anyone who thought otherwise doesn't belong in politics or business.
This areas demographics and population numbers do NOT support such a venture.
This is the same dopes that think "millennials" want to live Downtown when census numbers prove them wrong.
I have more news for them. Go ahead and get into the med pot business. They will lose their arses on that prospect too.

Anonymous said...

Liars. All of them.
Joe, you may "like" the GG guys, but Im certain the feeling isnt mutual. When you exposed them for continually violating noise ordinances, the "donated" building scam, the marijuana dealings, and HQ Live....yeah, they arent liking it too much, but too bad. Thank you Joe for reporting what others do not.

Anonymous said...

This is awful. When the city is in the business to see off properties to private parties at below market value the officials must see to it that the property is going to be used in a way that is fair to all residents. African Americans don't want to go to this place. They either need to start getting in some music AA's like and lower the prices or turn this racist property into something like the Freddie Gray Empowerment Center in Baltimore which is a rec center than anyone can go to regardless of finances or anything else. Have something for people of all ages, races and income levels. Racist politicians in the Bury. Even Shanie was who just followed along never looking out for the people in her district.

JoeAlbero said...

9:31, I have never had an issue with anyone related to what you call GG. I may disagree with certain things but we have always agreed to disagree. In this case, (as I stated) the impression within the sale of the building was a Family atmosphere, encouraging more egress to other businesses Downtown. I do not believe that IF something doesn't work out, (the original concept they created) as adults we just can't come back saying, DO OVER.

I can recall when the Taylor's bought that empty lot next to Parker Place. The agreement was that they would open a flower/plant nursery as well as the gates being open 24/7 so people parking could always have access from the parking lot to the Plaza. It took at least 6 years of fighting them based on the original agreement before they were forced to open one. It lasted one summer and they haven't done it since.

That property, (based on their contracts with the City) should be taken back by the City. Oh, BUT WAIT, former Mayor Barrie & husband Matt Tilghman are now partners on that property, GO FIGURE! Rules, what rules!

If the taxpayers are to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars to wholesale ANY property based on a contractual agreement, the buyers need to do what they agreed to do.

Anonymous said...

Narcissism always finds a way to transcend the acceptable legal limits.Going beyond us is the alternative to going through us,us being the general public.Narcissism generally works in small increments to be less noticeable,but it's always persistent to the point where one day we look up and there it is,big as life.Ignoring the small pieces coming together allows the entire puzzle to be assembled right in front of us.Once that puzzle has been assembled it cannot be undone.

Anonymous said...

they went against the spirit of the deal and after getting the place for a song. They should not be allowed to get that license.

Anonymous said...

Liquor and bars won't solve the problems of Salisbury.

Anonymous said...

Absolutely.
But, my point was that they absolutely do not like being called out. Its negative press. Bad for business. But if you didnt report it, most of us would have no idea whats taking place right under our noses.

Anonymous said...

Who were the council members that supported this ?

Anonymous said...

Joe who are the majority of the county council members you are referring to? From what I saw I believe it was John Cannon, Marc Kilmer and Matt Holloway leaning to support that mistake!

Anonymous said...

Muir Boda is going around telling everyone that if the county council doesn't support that legislation the Salisbury City Council is going to establish their own Liquor Board.

Anonymous said...

Can we review the contract/agreement with regard to the firehouse? How?

Anonymous said...

Salisbury does need more bars, so we can forget for a while that we live here

Anonymous said...

They need to create a safe zone downtown then maybe it will fly.

Anonymous said...

gonna have to do a lot of bulldozing on the west side before there is a safe zone downtown

Anonymous said...

They want this law changed to help bail them out because they think the alcohol sales is going to be their savior. Dumb people. I told you this building should have stayed a firehouse. Give it back to the city if you can't pack!

Anonymous said...

I saw this on PAC 14 and Councilman Dodd was asking the right questions and I don't think he was in support of this.

Anonymous said...

From what I was following on PAC 14, I also thought that John Hall was really not in favor of this either. Of course, Matt Holloway is going to go along with anything the Gilkerson s want. After all, he is one of the
so called partners in the Medical Marijuana Start up (if approved) I really hate seeing Salisbury go down little by little with all the low class "crap" going on! It's really not fair to all the other restaurant/bar owners who follow the rules with the food/kitchen requirements. Oh, I forgot. It's a Gilkerson request so the rules change just for them.

Anonymous said...

In the meantime, the county Board of Elections people are soliciting for new digs for training etc. When asked why they cannot use the library (right across the street from HQL, they said because the area is too dangerous.

So, add dangerous area to hard liquor and what do you get?

Hey y'all! Can't have things both ways.

Anonymous said...

Brad and his buds Wm. (shyster) Hall and Matt (scumbag) Holloway want to grow weed -- so look for Headquarter Live to become a booze and bong joint.

Anonymous said...

Special treatment for a few. So very Salisbury.