NEW PARIS — Baumbach’s BBQ has been purchased by Preble County locals and renamed The Lamppost.
As the new owners began preparing the restaurant to open in early August, they realized the existing liquor license had expired. Co-owner Zach Shafer attended the New Paris Village Council meeting on Monday, April 2, to explain the situation to council and ask for their support.
“We’ve already met and had a meeting with the zoning board. There is one other order of business we would really like to get taken care of,” he said. “There is one loophole with the restaurant. As you guys may be aware of, liquor licenses are based on population per capita.
“You get one type of each classification of licenses with every 2,000 population. You guys have a population of 1,400, so you have one classification of liquor license. Baumbach’s had a D1, D2, and D3 license, which is beer, liquor, and wine Monday through Saturday, up until 1 a.m.
“Well, he did not renew his license when he sent the building to foreclosure. So, the state took his licenses back, because the area was over-populated. The only license available was the D6, which extends the hours from 1-2:30 a.m. and allows you to sell on Sundays. You need a D1, D2, or D3 to get the D6.”
He added, he and his co-owners had reached out to the State to see what their options were. The Lamppost must seek the legislative authority and the municipality’s blessing for them to apply for a TREX permit.
According to the Department of Commerce, “the Economic Development Transfer (“TREX”) was developed through legislation to try to help those areas of the state that have an over-issuance of permits by TREX transferring them to another area of the state, meeting certain criteria.
“Therefore, if you are unable to obtain a New Liquor Permit through the Quota System as there are no permits available, or you are unable to do a regular transfer of ownership and location (not a TREX) of a class as there are no-openings or the number of applicants on file exceed the openings available, you have the option of then trying to TREX transfer the ownership and location of someone else’s permit to you, as long as you meet the TREX requirements.”
Shafer was asking for council’s blessing — a written letter and a signed form, stating the Village of New Paris is in support of the transfer for an “Economic Development Project.”
“We are bringing another restaurant that will have beer into New Paris, but it is nothing unlike anything you’ve already had. We will be known as a family-oriented restaurant that has a bar. That is something that is very important to us,” Shafer said.
“We can assure you, as long as the three of us are involved, this restaurant will never be a nuisance to this town,” he added.
Council made a motion and unanimously voted to give The Lamppost its support.
