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Council approves transfer of restaurant liquor license to West Art; owners plan basement restaurant and more hiring
Summary
After a public hearing, Lancaster City Council approved transferring restaurant liquor license R18779 to West Art LLC; owners described plans to add a basement restaurant, keep current hours, require server training, and hire additional staff.
Lancaster City Council approved a resolution to transfer restaurant liquor license number R18779 into the city for West Art LLC following a public hearing on June 23.
At the hearing, attorney Aaron Zimmer summarized how inter‑municipal transfers work and why applicants frequently seek licenses from outside municipalities. Owners—identified in the hearing as Rufus Deacon and Joshua Gibble—described West Art as a community venue that currently operates as a coffee shop, bar and event space and said they plan to develop basement space into a restaurant. The owners said they would require responsible‑service (RAMP) training for service staff, expect no change to regular operating hours and anticipate hiring five to six additional employees for the restaurant.
Why it matters: The transfer brings an active restaurant liquor license into Lancaster City for a local small business that the council described as a community asset. Council noted the applicants must still complete the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s license‑transfer process after the council vote.
Vote and conditions: Council voted to approve the transfer by resolution; the council thanked the applicants and welcomed the owners’ plans to expand jobs and community offerings. Officials emphasized that the PLCB process remains a required next step before the license is effective.
Next steps: The applicants will proceed with the state licensing process and city administrative actions required for the transfer; council will include the item on the legislative agenda for final administrative documentation.
