SNOW HILL – The county’s board of license commissioners approved alcohol privileges for a new Ocean City restaurant but not before cautioning its connections.
On Wednesday, the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners (BLC) granted a beer, wine and liquor license to the Cluckin Crab, a restaurant set to take over the former English’s location at 1500 Philadelphia Ave. in Ocean City. The property was purchased recently by the Harrison Group and will be leased by the connections of Cluckin Crab, one of whom is Todd Hayes. Hayes formerly operated De Lazy Lizard and has come before the board previously for license violations. After De Lazy Lizard changed ownership, Hayes then came before the Town of Ocean City with plans for a wave machine park, which have not come to fruition.
“I just want to make sure that the Harrisons realize we’d be taking a leap of faith,” BLC member Charles Nichols said. “There’s been some wrongdoing by this applicant in the past.”
The Cluckin Crab, according to attorney Joe Moore, will be a roughly 200-seat restaurant serving crabs and fried chicken. Its menu will mirror that of the Fenwick Crab House, Hayes’ current restaurant.
Nichols asked Hayes how much he was going to be involved in the operation. When Hayes operated De Lazy Lizard, it was fined $3,000 and its liquor license was suspended following multiple violations.
Hayes assured Nichols he wouldn’t be at the facility more than once a month.
“I was kind of a deal maker to bring everybody together …,” he said. “I don’t expect to have any role in the operation at all.”
- Hale Harrison, representing the Harrison Group, assured the board regulations would be taken seriously.
“We want everything to be done right,” Harrison said.
Moore said there was language to encourage that in the lease.
“Todd understands that a violation by this board can be determined by the Harrisons as a default in the lease with an immediate eviction,” Moore said.
Board member Marty Pusey said she expected the restaurant to attract a lot of interest.
“I think it’s good for the community to have this location restored as a viable restaurant business,” she said.
Following approval of the Cluckin Crab license, the board also approved a request from the Harrison Group to expand the licensed premise, Oceans @ 33rd, inside the Quality Inn, which is currently being upgraded. The Harrison Group’s Mark Mayers presented plans to expand the licensed premise to the adjacent dirt lot.
Mayers told the board he was seeking approval for a 12-seat tiki bar on the space and live outside entertainment from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We’re not planning on putting a lot of entertainment at this pool bar,” he said.
Mayers said the hotel was asking for permission to sell carryout beer and wine because that was something guests asked for.
The board voted unanimously to approve the requests.
“I think it looks like a really nice plan,” Pusey said.
At Wednesday’s meeting, the BLC also approved the necessary license changes to allow Conner’s Beach Café on the Boardwalk at 2nd Street inside the Park Place Hotel to switch locations with Bull on the Beach, which is located just to the north of Conner’s. The Bull on the Beach was also given approval for its request to upgrade its license to include liquor as well as beer and wine.