The St. Mary's County Alcohol Beverage Board on Sept. 14, 2017 approved the transfer of a Class B beer, wine and liquor license from Corey T. Hunter to Mad Moon LLC, which will operate as Mad Moon Cafe and Lounge at 22576 McArthur Boulevard in California, Maryland.

The board granted a 90-day conditional approval that requires the applicant to secure a change-of-occupancy permit and a trader's license within that window. Board staff also discussed mandatory Responsible Alcohol Sales (RAS) and Therapeutic Alcohol Management (TAM) training for the on-site managers and license-holder designee.

Jennifer Bell, who described herself as the business owner and the local person associated with the LLC, told the board the operation will be “the same exact business” after the transfer, with the same hours, food and atmosphere. She said the use of the word “lounge” was intended to signal customers that the venue offers more than coffee: “We have lunch and we have dinner and we have the beer and wine that has always been there.” Bell told the board Mad Moon will close at 9 p.m. on weeknights and will not transform into a late-night bar scene.

Board members pressed for clarity about who will operate the business and whether trained staff will be on site. Bell said Corey T. Hunter will hold the license initially while she relies on his experience; she said she planned to apply to have the license transferred into her name within a year. She identified a day manager, James Rivenbark, and said other managers have completed required training; she said she would complete her training “as soon as possible.”

Tammy Hildebrand, the board administrator, explained the 90-day conditional window would allow the board to document that the required permits are in place and that training requirements are met. The board moved and voted to approve the transfer with that 90-day condition; the motion carried.

The approval preserves the existing operation’s hours and on-site sale of beer and wine while adding the updated business name and LLC structure to the county license records. The board noted it retains authority to impose further restrictions if the business’s hours or operations change beyond what was documented for the transfer.