Council denies SJ’s Liquor & Vape license, approves three other alcohol permits

The Lincoln City Council on Sept. 8 voted 7-0 to deny an application from SJ’s Liquor and Vape LLC for a class C liquor license and the related manager application and, in the same meeting, unanimously approved three other liquor-related items on the agenda.

Council members discussed the absent SJ’s applicant and expressed concerns about managing on-site consumption of both alcohol and vape products in closely connected retail spaces. Councilwoman Washington said she was concerned about customers mistakenly using vape products in spaces intended for on-site alcohol consumption and asked how the business would manage that risk. City attorney Christie told the council that the Nebraska Liquor Commission had already signaled a forthcoming show-cause hearing and that the city could forward questions to that hearing regardless of today’s action. Washington said she wanted the council’s questions included in that process and favored denial to ensure the council’s concerns would be heard at the state-level proceeding.

After discussion, the council made and carried a motion to deny the SJ’s Liquor and Vape class C license and related manager application; the denial was recorded 7-0. The city clerk read the roll as: Weber, Bowers, Washington, Duda, Schaub, Beckius and Carlson — all voting “yes.” The city attorney advised that the denial would still be followed by a state show-cause hearing and that questions could be routed to the Liquor Commission for that proceeding.

Separately, the council approved three other applications on the liquor agenda. The council approved an application from Zipline Brewing Company LLC to add an outdoor area of roughly 20 by 24 feet at 2100 Magnum Circle (item 4c). The council also approved a manager application for Craft Axe Throwing LLC (item 4d) and granted a special designated license to Kincaid Brewing Company LLC to use an outdoor area for an Oktoberfest event at 151 N. Eighth St. on Sept. 27, 2025, from 10 a.m. to midnight (item 4e). Those three approvals passed 7-0; the clerk recorded the same seven council members voting yes.

The council’s discussion highlighted two procedural points: first, the Liquor Commission will hold a state-level hearing on SJ’s application regardless of the council’s action; second, council members debated whether a local denial or approval better preserves the council’s ability to pose questions at the state hearing. City attorney Christie explained that if the council takes no action for 45 days the application is deemed approved under state timelines, which is why the council must either approve or deny rather than “pend” an application locally.

Votes at a glance: - SJ’s Liquor and Vape LLC (class C license & manager application): denied 7-0 (roll call: Weber, Bowers, Washington, Duda, Schaub, Beckius, Carlson). Note: a state Liquor Commission show-cause hearing will follow and the city may submit questions to that hearing. - Zipline Brewing Company LLC (outdoor area addition, ~20x24 ft at 2100 Magnum Circle): approved 7-0. - Craft Axe Throwing LLC (manager application for 1821 N St.): approved 7-0. - Kincaid Brewing Company LLC (special designated license for outdoor Oktoberfest at 151 N. Eighth St., 09/27/2025, 10 a.m.–12 a.m.): approved 7-0.

The council did not take public comment on the SJ’s application; one council member noted an emailed record had raised concerns about closing-hour alignment between on-sale and off-sale areas. The council directed the city attorney’s office to transmit council questions to the Liquor Commission for the forthcoming show-cause proceeding.