Title
Approving the License renewal for licenses held by The Applebaum Companies, Inc., d/b/a Big Top Liquors (“Licensee”) (License ID #20180002156) for the location at 1544 University Avenue West
Body
WHEREAS, on 8/1/2018 Council passed RES 18-1248 which approved a waiver of the 45-day notification requirement and three-hundred (300) foot separation distance requirement and granted Liquor Off-Sale license (“License”) to The Applebaum Companies, Inc., d/b/a Big Top Liquors (“Licensee”) (License ID #20180002156) for the location at 1544 University Avenue West (“Licensed Premises”); and
WHEREAS, on May 28, 2020, the Licensed Premises was severely damaged by fire during civil unrest and ceased operation; and
WHEREAS, The Licensee’s lease for the Licensed Premises was terminated due to the destruction of the Licensed Premises; and
WHEREAS, the Licensed Premises remain in the vacant building program as a category 3 vacant building: and
WHEREAS, Licensee is not aware of any plans of the landlord to include Licensee in any future development; and
WHEREAS, Licensee has retained a real estate broker and is reviewing alternatives including transferring the License to a new licensee if a location that complies with the provisions of Saint Paul Legislative Code can be found; and
WHEREAS, Saint Paul Legislative Code Section 409.06 (m) (2) addresses license renewals when the Licensee has discontinued operation and closed for any reason and requires that:
“If on or before the expiration of the license, the licensed business has discontinued its operation or closed for any reason, the council shall renew said license only upon the condition that the licensee shall reopen and restore the licensed business to full operation within the terms of the renewed license, or in the alternative, that the licensee shall make application for and obtain passage, approval and publication of a resolution for the transfer of said license to the of the renewed license to ano...
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