The Knoxville Beer Board heard April 29, 2025, that Ponce Enterprises had been cited for serving alcohol to minors and took no action on the business's pending beer permit application after a motion to extend was withdrawn.

The board had an application for Ponce Enterprises (80705 Unicorn Drive) on file pending final documentation from an earlier approval. Officer Presley, reporting for Knoxville police and Alcoholic Beverage Commission (ABC) contacts, told the board, “They served 2 minors there at that bar on that night,” and said both the manager and a bartender had been cited for underage service.

The matter had been on the board's docket as an application approved pending final documentation in January. Mr. Byrd of the Business Tax Office told the board the business had surrendered its previous permit in December, leaving it without a current license while its new application remained incomplete. City counsel Mr. Frost told the board its immediate options were to extend the application period to allow the applicant more time or allow the application to lapse and require reapplication.

Councilman Roberto initially moved to extend the applicant's time but, after Officer Presley described the enforcement activity, told the board, “I don't feel comfortable approving this based on that. So I'm gonna withdraw my motion.” With no subsequent motion, the item “died for lack of motion,” the chair said.

Councilwoman Parker asked whether a finding of guilt on the cited violations would affect future eligibility. Mr. Frost explained that, with an active beer permit, two or more underage-sale violations in a rolling two-year period could trigger a suspension or revocation hearing before a hearing officer; because Ponce had no current permit, the typical permit-based disciplinary path would not apply the same way while the business is unpermitted.

The board did not vote on a change to Ponce Enterprises' status at the meeting. Officer Presley and ABC indicated the citations will proceed through enforcement channels; the board did not take a separate enforcement vote at the meeting.

The board chair adjourned discussion of Ponce Enterprises without an extension; the application will not remain active under the board's pending-file timeline and would need to be restarted if the applicant wishes to reapply.