The Alcohol Beverage Board of St. Mary's County on Monday approved several conditional license transfers and premise changes affecting local restaurants and event venues, and voted to adopt a proposed class 1 distillery on-site consumption permit.

The approvals covered a transfer and reclassification of a license to Personalized Touch Catering, permanent outdoor seating for Toasted Foot Lounge, an after‑hours extension for Brudergarten in Shepherd's Oldfield Market, an expansion of Action Lounge & Billiards into an adjacent unit, and the board's formal approval of a draft distillery on‑site consumption permit. Most approvals were conditional and tied to inspections or permits from the State Fire Marshal, the county health department, land‑use authorities or required training; the Personalized Touch transfer passed 4–1.

Board members said the conditions reflect routine public‑safety and administrative checks needed before full, permanent approvals.

Personalized Touch Catering — transfer and patio consumption
Patricia A. Sparks, identified in the hearing as the applicant for Personalized Touch Catering, told the board the site will operate primarily as a wedding and event venue. “The site will be more wedding venue than anything else,” Sparks said, describing Friday–Sunday rentals and onsite food and liquor service.

The board granted a 90‑day conditional approval to transfer a Class D BWL license from John J. Winters to Personalized Touch Catering LLC and to reclassify it to a Class B restaurant BWL license, with permission for outdoor consumption on the patio. The motion — entered into the record by a board member — made approval contingent on the current licensee clearing a trader's license hold, the applicant obtaining an occupancy permit, State Fire Marshal approval, and required server training (RAST and alcohol awareness). The board also corrected the Callaway ZIP code on the application to 20620 during voting.

Votes at a glance:
Personalized Touch Catering (transfer and reclassification; outdoor patio consumption) — conditional 90‑day approval; conditions: trader's license clearance, occupancy permit, State Fire Marshal approval, required training; vote tally recorded as yes 4, no 1.
Toasted Foot Lounge (permanent extension of outdoor seating) — conditional 90‑day approval; conditions: health department, fire marshal, land‑use and permitting approvals, and verification of total seating/Metcom capacity; unanimous approval.
Brudergarten (extension of premises into Shepherd's Oldfield Market common area after market hours) — conditional 90‑day approval; condition: fire marshal approval of sprinkler/assembly redesignation; unanimous approval.
Action Lounge & Billiards (Genie Suite) (expansion into adjacent unit) — conditional approval pending fire marshal inspection and sign‑off; 90‑day timeframe noted; unanimous approval.
Class 1 distillery on‑site consumption permit application — board approved the proposed application as submitted; unanimous approval.

Details and conditions
- Toasted Foot Lounge: Applicant Robert Oler described an enclosed alley adjacent to the business “about 50 feet long and 10 feet wide” that the operators have been using on a temporary basis during the COVID‑19 period. The board's permanent approval is conditional on the applicant obtaining permits and approvals from land use, the health department and the fire marshal; the board noted the health department must confirm that the total seating (inside plus the alley area) does not exceed Metcom limits.

- Brudergarten / Shepherd's Oldfield Market: Applicant Geraldine LaRue said the market common area is typically closed at 7 p.m. and that the requested extension would permit use of additional market space after hours to expand the Bridal Garden seating through the colder months. The board conditioned approval on the fire marshal approving a change in occupancy designation (mercantile to assembly) and the installation of sprinklers where required.

- Action Lounge & Billiards (Genie Suite): Applicants Jeanie Suit and Matthew (surname given in the record as "Shoot") told the board they sought to reclaim an adjacent unit and relocate pool tables; the applicants reported they had received or were expecting fire marshal sign‑offs. The board offered conditional approval pending formal fire marshal documentation.

- Distillery on‑site consumption permit: Board staff presented a draft application modeled on the state permit with reduced redundant questions; the board approved the draft form and directed staff to require applicants to submit a copy of their state license with the county application.

Board discussion and next steps
Board Administrator Tammy Hildebrand and staff advised applicants that several approvals remain administrative and that applicants must provide documentation (occupancy permits, trader's license clearance, fire marshal reports, health department approvals or training completion) before final, unconditional licenses or premise extensions are issued. The board also reviewed its standard process for New Year's Eve late‑hours permits and agreed to continue the usual mailing and vetting process this year, subject to health‑department or state emergency orders.

The board's meeting included a brief reminder about appeal rights: an applicant or group of at least 10 residents or property owners may appeal final board decisions to the Circuit Court for St. Mary's County within 30 days; appellants must prepay estimated transcription costs, as noted on the record.

Appeals and administrative filings are part of the formal record; applicants were reminded to bring final inspection or approval sheets (for example, from the fire marshal) to the board office so staff can clear the outstanding conditions and finalize county permits.