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Owners, city official defend Liquid Library after county raises DUI concerns
Summary
Liquid Library owners described ID checks, staffing and training practices after Carroll County board flagged DUI reports. Westminster city official Tony Cabacci told the board the establishment has been responsive and valuable to downtown revitalization.
The Carroll County Liquor Board questioned owners of Liquid Library about a cluster of DUI reports that put the establishment near the top of the county’s tally for 2025. Counsel for the business, Kelly Schafer Miller, said owners Andrew Schuster and Chad Ferrari run a hands‑on operation with routine staff training and a strict ID policy, and described steps the restaurant takes to monitor patrons during peak hours.
Miller told the board that Liquid Library does not accept vertical driver’s licenses and that staff card all patrons who appear under 40; the business runs a training and shadowing program and requires alcohol‑awareness certification for nearly all employees. Owners said at least one owner is present most hours and that a dedicated manager or owner mans the front door during peak Friday and Saturday nights. They detailed procedures for last call and clearing tables and noted the practical limits of controlling patrons’ off‑premises behavior.
Tony Cabacci, president of the Westminster City Council and chair of the city’s Public Safety Committee, spoke in support of the business, calling it a valuable contributor to downtown revitalization and saying the owners have been responsive to city requests. Cabacci said the volume of patrons may make some violations more likely, but vouched for the owners’ cooperation with police and zoning authorities.
Board members pressed on specific episodes, including one instance in which a patron later found to be underage presented an ID that appeared legitimate. Owners said servers checked the ID on site and that follow‑up with police and video review helped clarify the event. Commissioners asked about monitoring of multiple simultaneous drink orders, handling of outside seating late at night, and procedures if staff observe miniatures or bottles inside restrooms.
The board did not take enforcement action at the meeting. Commissioners emphasized that licensees must maintain training and monitoring; staff and the owners agreed to reinforce training and door monitoring going forward. Liquid Library remains on the board’s radar for follow‑up and future compliance checks.
