Author Archives: Jon Mejia
Jon Mejia
Long before I began my career in the food and beverage industry, I recall having a deep curiosity about the process of acquiring a liquor license. I knew a few facts, such as that in many states liquor licenses were bought and sold, similar to real estate, and I knew that there were many different license types, each one requiring a separate application. I also knew that getting approved to sell alcoholic beverages was not automatic and that there were FBI background checks and detailed investigations into one’s financial and personal affairs. Still, with the few things I did know, plus the many things I assumed (think Al Capone and Prohibition), little did I suspect that one day this alluring field would capture not just my imagination, but would one day become my profession.
I began working as a consultant to the food and beverage industry in the fall of 1984 when the city of Los Angeles implemented a new procedure called a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) review requiring that all businesses planning to sell alcoholic beverages undergo a public hearing before an Administrator appointed by the city zoning department. This requirement added extra time and expense to the already complicated process of getting a liquor license and launched me on an journey that continues to this day.
Not a day passes when I am not asked about the basic steps involved in being licensed by the state agencies as well as getting the necessary land entitlement permits required to be a state approved alcohol vendor. We also get lots of questions about complex situations that often require creative solutions and special handling.
Over the years, I have acquired a wealth of information and contacts in this field. It is my intention to share with you that material as you begin your journey in the food and beverage industry.
I offer a toast your long-term success and I trust that your experience in this field will be as fun, fascinating and fulfilling as mine has, to date, been.
The American Liquor License Exchange
Legislation signed this week by Gov. Pat Quinn allows small distilleries, firms that make less than 5,000 gallons of spirits a year, to sell the liquor they produce at their facilities. While wineries and microbreweries nationwide have used this model for a number of years, this is a new, and potentially highly lucrative, development for [...]
Driving home one day I noticed a cute new restaurant that had just opened in my neighborhood and I made plans to try it out. A few days later I arrived around 6 pm ready to savor their atmosphere, cuisine and alcoholic beverages. Stepping in, I noticed the place had a full bar and also [...]
Attention cocktail and spirits lovers, a Dutch style of gin known as genever is getting more popular than Dutch tulips. The English word “gin” derives from Genevers. Served chilled and in the traditional tulip-shaped glasses found in Amsterdam’s genever bars, this cocktail is sure to please your regulars. Pair with Dutch cheese, slow-braised oxtail, stews [...]
According to Wikipedia, cause marketing or cause-related marketing refers to a type of marketing involving the cooperative efforts of a “for profit” business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit. Do you have a special area of interest, such as saving the whales, that you’d like to promote? If so, cause marketing is an ideal [...]
If Mayor Richard Daley gets his way, the answer is yes. “The goal is to bring in more money for the city.” Eve Rodriguez, city Aviation Department Taking a page from the carts used by airlines, the plan is to create a new type of liquor license allowing “the sale of alcoholic liquor from pushcarts [...]
A recent article in the Washington Post illustrates why it’s important to have qualified representation when you file for your city zoning permits and your alcoholic beverage applications. Most neighborhoods empower community boards to ensure that residents rights are protected, which is a good thing. However, community activists are increasingly placing major roadblocks in the [...]
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The Land of Lincoln Opens the Doors of Opportunity to Small Distilleries