Community Board 2's State Liquor Authority licensing committee recommended conditions on an application from Breitling USA seeking a bottle-club license for a retailer location at 875 Washington Street.

Attorney Phil Dorn, representing Breitling, told the committee the license category permits retailers to provide complimentary beverages to customers during the shopping experience, not to operate as a members'only club. "Do not be deceived by the name," Dorn said, explaining the license is commonly used by high-end retailers to offer champagne or similar beverages to guests.

The committee asked the applicant to limit public hours to a 7 p.m. hard close and to reserve limited flexibility for private events. Committee Chair Donna Raftery said the committee would accept up to nine private events a year, with any private-event activity ending no later than 9 p.m. Dorn and the applicant's CFO/COO, Camilo Lopez, agreed to record those hours in the operating plan.

The committee also confirmed the location's two-floor showroom layout and asked that any staffing or security plans be reflected in the operating materials submitted to the SLA.

The committee's recommendation will be transmitted to the full board and incorporated into the record provided to the SLA. The committee's conditions are procedural: they limit hours and private-event timing while leaving other licensing determinations to the SLA.

The matter is expected to move forward to the full board with the committee's recommended conditions.