The St. Mary's County Alcohol and Beverage Board on Sept. 12 granted conditional approval for Sweetbay Restaurant and Bar’s application to purchase a Class B (restaurant) beer, wine and liquor license for 22680 Washington Street in Leonardtown.

The board’s 90-day conditional approval requires the applicants to secure use-and-occupancy, the county health department sign-off and fire marshal approval before full licensure. Board members also removed the requested extension of premises for outdoor seating from the current application; applicants were told they may return later to seek that extension.

The applicants — Peter Vincent Lupo, Susan Lawrence Dyer and Charles Herbert Johnston Jr. — told the board they are renovating the building and plan an approximately 100-seat, locally focused restaurant. Peter Lupo described his work in Washington, D.C., saying, “We are an upscale dining establishment in general is what I do,” and said the concept will emphasize Maryland-sourced seafood and local breweries and distilleries.

Board members questioned applicants about prior liquor-related enforcement; Lupo acknowledged a past conviction roughly 12 years earlier in Virginia for a server-provided sale to a minor and said he accepted responsibility for that incident. Lupo told the board he currently holds four licenses in Washington, D.C., and said those locations had not had recent violations.

The board discussed the proposed outdoor seating and a town plan for a raised platform that would use two on-street parking spaces. Applicants told the board they had agreed to remove the premises-extension request from the current application to avoid delaying opening while they pursue town and county approvals for the outdoor platform.

The board’s motion granted a 90-day conditional approval subject to the stated agency approvals; the board noted applicants may return to seek a separate approval for the exterior seating later.

The board did not record any opposing votes during the motion; the motion carried with all members present voting in favor.

Sweetbay’s applicants and their contractor described a full interior rebuild, with new equipment and a wine cellar area intended for private events. Applicants said they anticipate opening in mid-November but acknowledged timing remains contingent on inspections and agency approvals.

The board advised applicants to coordinate with the town on the platform plan and with county agencies on health and fire approvals before opening.