Howard County board approves Class B liquor license for Cafe Columbia

The Howard County Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board on Jan. 28, 2025 approved a Class B (beer, wine and liquor) seven-day on-sale license for Cafe Columbia LLC, a community café in Downtown Columbia, authorizing licensees Ki Tu Kong and Rafa Jacob Hekmat to sell bottled and canned beer, individual bottles of wine and mixed-spiked beverages such as Irish coffee and spiked milkshakes.

Board Chair Sung described the application as straightforward and said he considered the licensees "fit and proper." The board voted unanimously to grant the license; the applicants waived their right to appeal at the hearing.

The licensee, Ki Tu Kong, testified that she owns 25% of Cafe Columbia and that the business has been open about two and a half years. Kong told the board the café is a community gathering place that serves crepes, waffles, ice cream, milkshakes and coffee and that the requested license would allow the business to expand offerings for community events and small gatherings.

Kong said the café seats about 40 people, currently operates Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and would retain its existing footprint if the license is approved. She said she expects alcohol sales to be a modest portion of revenue — "maybe 10, 20 percent" — and confirmed that food sales would remain above the 51% threshold the board uses to distinguish restaurants from bars. Kong said she and the other licensee would be the primary operators and that all employees who serve alcohol would be enrolled in the county's alcohol-awareness program and certified before serving.

On service and floor operations, Kong said alcohol would be stored behind the counter in employee-only areas and the public would not have direct access. She described the café's service model as counter ordering with staff bringing drinks to tables; there is no separate bar area. To distinguish drinks with alcohol from nonalcoholic items, Kong said the business plans to use different glassware and darker straws for alcoholic milkshakes and different mugs for Irish coffee. She told the board staff would check ID for every customer who places an alcoholic order.

A member of the public, Randall Seed, testified in support of the license, saying he spends time at the café and believes the operators understand the responsibility that comes with an alcohol license. "They are absolutely understanding the responsibility that we're putting on them and that they will bear that responsibility in a way that respects and benefits our community," Seed said.

During deliberations board members asked about hours and enforcement. Kong confirmed the business does not plan to encourage morning alcohol service despite the theoretical availability of a Class B license during extended hours; she said any extended hours (to 10 p.m.) would be contingent on staffing. The board also confirmed that a certified person must be on site whenever the establishment is open and that managers will train employees on age-verification and responsible service.

The board's record for the hearing includes the applicant's exhibits showing the café's layout, sample beverage list and photos of the premises. The motion to approve passed unanimously; vote tallies were recorded as all present board members voting yes. The board entered the license into the record and the applicants waived appeal rights at the hearing.

The licensing decision allows Cafe Columbia to add packaged beer, single bottles of wine and a limited list of mixed and spiked coffee and milkshake drinks while continuing to operate primarily as a food-focused community café.

The board moved next to a separate matter after approving the Cafe Columbia application.