The D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration announced that it “will begin accepting applications for four ABC licenses available in Georgetown beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 10. Available licenses include:
• One tavern license — available only to an existing restaurant located in the Georgetown Historic District. Application may be made for either a tavern or nightclub license in the historic district.
• Three new restaurant licenses (either C/R or D/R) in Georgetown.”
A Georgetown neighborhood moratorium on restaurant licenses caps the number at 68. There are 65 operating ones, leaving three “underperforming” or “left on the shelf,” as indicated by advisory neighborhood commissioner Bill Starrels, who heads the Alcohol Beverage Committee.
Starrels said these were licenses “not performing” and said he was “absolutely appreciative of what ABRA is doing here. It showed due process.” Some licenses can sit for years before put back in circulation, so to speak.
“We have some serious restaurant people looking at Georgetown,” Starrels said. “We cannot have licenses sitting on the shelf.”
A tavern license allows an establishment to have a smaller percentage of food to alcohol sales.
In order to apply for the tavern license, applicants should:
1. Complete a License Class Change application.
2. Submit the application and all required materials in person to ABRA beginning at 8:30 am on Thursday, April 10. The office is located at the Reeves Center, 2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 400 South, 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20009.
In order to apply for a new restaurant license, applicants should:
1. Complete an ABC License application.
2. Submit a Tax Registration Certificate with the application. Obtain a Tax Registration form by filing for a DC business tax number at the Office of Tax and Revenue.
3. Provide a Clean Hands Certificate with the application. The Clean Hands Certification form (to be filled out when you obtain your certificate) is included with the ABC License application, and confirms that you do not owe more than $100 in outstanding debts to the District.
4. Submit the application and all required materials in person to ABRA beginning at 8:30 am on Thursday, April 10. The office is located at the Reeves Center, 2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 400 South, 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20009.
Completed applications for the licenses will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to the consideration of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.
Members of the public who have questions can call ABRA at 202-442-4423.
