Murphy prepares for beer and mixed drink sales
By Frank Bradley Staff writer

Although the malt and liquor-by-the-drink vote only squeaked by in last Tuesday's Murphy municipal election, three restaurants there are quickly moving ahead to state licenses so they can begin to serve alcoholic beverages.

Jeremiah Smith, manager of Doyle's Oak Barrel Restaurant, told the Sentinel on Monday that he has already started filling out the required application, which was to be submitted on Tuesday following certification of the election.

Applications are required to be approved by the NC Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) board at a cost of $1,000 to serve mixed beverages; $400 to serve malt beverages, and $400 to serve wine. Applications are renewable each year on May 1 with the merchant paying the same fees.

Smith said he had scheduled a day of training in Hendersonville on January 23 for his staff to get them licensed in Mixology, a requirement before they can mix and serve drinks. He said the training would cover aspects of the laws such as who is responsible, when to cut customers off and so forth.

"This change will eliminate brown bagging for us," Smith said. "Before people could bring a bottle to their table, and we had no control over the amount of drinking they could do. This way we do. We are talking about setting a four drink limit."

Smith said ability to serve malt and mixed drinks would go a long way to increasing his restaurant's profitability.

"We've been struggling for five years," he said. "This will be a boost for us. We are not changing our menu. We will be serving the same great food and catering to our core customers. We will be able to pay for some good musicians. We'ree hoping to have music every night during the summer, to stay open later."

Asked about competition, Smith said, " We welcome it. I expect to see new restaurants moving in, which will bring more jobs and improve the economy. Competition is good for us, It only makes us better to have to compete for our customers."

At the Daily Grind and Wine shop, owner Amy Johnson said the vote would mean they could serve beer.

"We expect to serve Guiness (Stout) and Murphy beer on tap, and maybe micro beers," she said. "We aren't planning on serving mixed drinks."

She said serving beer would fit in with their Celtic theme. The Daily Grind, an established coffee and wine shop, has been serving wine by the glass for the past seven years.

At ShoeBooties Cafe on Peachtree Street, owner Muffy Kerber, told the Sentinel that she and her husband, George, are discussing what changes they will make.

"We have been planning on doing some renovations. We could turn the upstairs into a sort of waiting lounge," she said. "We're having to rethink just what our niche is going to be. We'll probably add to the menu. Maybe, we'll have some speciality drinks. We're still a restaurant," she said. "Any changes will be an extension of what we are already doing."

Kerber said that they have been in business 10 years at ShoeBooties.

"I think the vote to allow the serving alcohol will have a positive effect," she said. "It will bring more people to the area, and there is room for everyone, but it is not going to be an automatic winner for everyone. We'll have to be smart about the changes we make."

While the above three restaurants are the only ones currently serving wine in Murphy who are will be applying for malt and/or mixed drink beverage licenses, Frank Dickey, a member of the town council, told the Sentinel that others could apply. Even those outside the city limits, but in close proximity to it.

"All they have to do is petition the Town of Murphy to be annexed," he said. "We could take them in and they could make application for a license."

He cited a Mexican and new Chinese restaurant as possibilities.

For restaurants to get license to sell alcoholic beverages, they must be incorporated into the Town of Murphy. The Town of Andrews voted the referendum down, and restaurants there are not eligible. Nor are restaurants located outside in the county. The only exception is if a restaurant is run in connection with a resort area, which under state law allows them to petition the state and serve alcohol. In Clay County, an example is the Sequoyah at the Ridges Golf Course.

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