SNOW HILL – The Worcester County Board of License Commissioners granted alcohol privileges to a trio of new Ocean City businesses this week.
The board approved licenses for a Boardwalk restaurant, a Cumberland restaurant taking over the former Blue Ox property and a new venture by Mother’s Cantina.
Ryan James of Mother’s Cantina told the board that his family would be opening Mother’s Tortilla next door in the former location of Milano’s Pizzeria. The new location, he said, would serve beer and wine but would not have a bar and would be geared toward families who wanted to get a quick meal.
“It’s going to be a fast casual concept of our restaurant next door,” he said.
He said the new eatery would be more family friendly and would be a better spot to get a quick meal than Mother’s Cantina.
“Families that want to get in and get out, this is their spot,” he said.
James assured the board that no alcohol sales would be made to minors, particularly since he’d just purchased a new ID scanner.
“It’s a pretty impressive piece of hardware,” he said. “Not only will it tell if the ID is fake it’ll tell you if it’s the person in the picture.”
Following the approval of James’ plans, the board granted the Crabby Pig a liquor license for its new location in north Ocean City. The restaurant, which currently has a location in Cumberland, is opening a second restaurant in the space formerly occupied by the Blue Ox.
Attorney Mark Cropper, representing the Crabby Pig, said the building would not be changed by the new tenant although some outdoor seating is planned.
“There have been no structural changes,” he said. “The main components of the restaurant are the same today as when it was previously licensed.”
Board members pointed out the Crabby Pig in Cumberland had liquor violations, both of which were sales to minors, in 2007 and 2013.
Terry Crawford, the restaurant’s owner, said he would be diligent in Ocean City and had hired an experienced bar manager to make sure no violations occurred. He said making a few dollars off a drink sale was not enough to make him put his license at risk.
“It’s not worth it,” Crawford said.
The Crabby Pig will offer the same menu it has in Cumberland, which features seafood, steaks and barbeque.
On Wednesday, the board also granted a license to Christie Crayton for Kelly’s. The restaurant, located at 13th Street and the Boardwalk, was previously operated by Crayton and her father. She said she intended to make no changes.
“I want to have everything remain the same,” she said.
Other actions taken by the board at this month’s meeting included issuing a letter of reprimand to Newtown Market for a sale to a minor and denying a license request from the Sage Diner in Pocomoke. Board members told the connections of the Sage Diner, whose application hearing had been continued from April, there was too much confusion regarding violations at the former Sage Diner in Virginia. Though the restaurant’s owners said on their application they had not had liquor license violations, the Sage Diner in Virginia had violations.
The applicants said they’d responded “no” to the question of violations because their names weren’t listed on the establishment’s liquor license.
Board member Charles Nichols said he wasn’t confident enough in their testimony to continue the hearing.
“We live and die by this application,” he said. “If they don’t understand the rules, that’s not our problem. I don’t believe they’ve been forthright.”