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Evanston council approves three liquor-license transfers and repeals single-license limit
Summary
The Evanston City Council approved two transfers of retail liquor licenses, granted a restaurant liquor license for GG’s Coffee House and adopted Ordinance 25-06 repealing a city rule that limited issuance of more than one liquor license to a single person.
The Evanston City Council approved three liquor-license actions Tuesday, including two transfers of retail licenses, a new restaurant liquor license and passage on second reading of Ordinance 25-06, which repeals section 4-8(b) of the city code restricting issuance of more than one liquor license to a single person.
The transfers followed public hearings in which applicants described construction delays or business plans that had kept their premises nonoperational within the statutory timelines. Pete Ligore, part owner and executive vice president of Wyoming Horse Racing, said construction delays pushed his planned Gateway project past the deadline for renewal and that transferring the license to a new entity would permit renewal while the project finishes. Joel Moxley testified that Echelon 221 Tenth LLC, d/b/a Pony Express, sought a transfer related to development at 221 Tenth Street. Gina Black, part owner of Black and Jones LLC, d/b/a GG’s Coffee House at 927 Main Street, said her restaurant would serve limited alcoholic beverages during evening events and brunches.
Council members voted to approve each application after the hearings. Councilors voiced no sustained opposition during the hearings; one member recused from the Pony Express transfer vote because of a stated potential conflict of interest. Mark Harris, the city attorney, told the council the transfers were consistent with the process identified by the Wyoming Liquor Division for licenses that had been inactive and needed a path to renewal.
Ordinance 25-06, on second reading, repeals the city code provision that limited issuance of more than one liquor license or permit to any single person. Council discussion included concerns about market concentration and the potential for licenses to acquire resale value, but staff and an invited speaker, Cody Bateman, described the municipal change as aligning local code with state practice and noted that state-level rules and the market ultimately influence availability and value of licenses.
Votes at a glance: the council approved the transfer of the retail license to WHR, d/b/a Gateway Liquors; approved the transfer to Echelon 221 Tenth LLC, d/b/a Pony Express (with one recusal recorded); approved the restaurant license for Black and Jones LLC, d/b/a GG’s Coffee House; and approved Ordinance 25-06 on second reading.
Why it matters: The actions clear the way for new or relocated liquor operations in Evanston and remove a local restriction that council members said duplicates state authority. Councilors said the city will rely on licensing review to address neighborhood impacts, while acknowledging state rules shape the market for licenses.
The council did not discuss fee changes or new numeric limits for licenses; applicants said they would proceed with opening plans once approvals were finalized.
