SNOW HILL – Ocean City is expected to see some unique new businesses following license approvals from the Worcester County Board of License Commissioners (BLC).
The board on Wednesday approved a variety of alcoholic beverage license applications and transfers. Included among them was approval for a book and wine store in Ocean City as well as a new market style eatery and bar in the old Dough Roller location in West Ocean City.
The connections of OC Eateries, the market-style eatery and bar set to move into the large space previously occupied by the Dough Roller and Applebees, told the board they were bring a variety of options to diners. The space will offer indoor and outdoor dining. Rather than the traditional restaurant layout, OC Eateries will feature multiple options under one roof. Patrons can order from Planet Wings, Pizza Birra, Love’s Lemonade, Tiki Tako, Pita Grille and Mac Attack. While BLC members were quick to express concern about the restaurant’s plans for live entertainment, particularly since they’ve installed garage doors on the building, applicant Franco Fidanza assured them noise wouldn’t be a problem.
“We don’t run a bar-type atmosphere,” Fidanza said, adding that he had establishments in New York and hadn’t had noise problems there.
William Esham, chairman of the board, said he wasn’t as worried about noise reaching Route 50 if the garage doors were kept closed during live entertainment.
“Our concern, as you know, is going to be Route 50,” he said. “If that garage door’s closed when music’s playing, I’m not so concerned.”
Fidanza said he was only planning to have “soft, beachy” music.
“We don’t play heavy metal or anything like that,” he said.
The board agreed to approve the license transfer and entertainment request as long as the garage doors were kept closed when musicians were performing. Tom Coates, the board’s attorney, said that was consistent with the board’s other recent rulings in regard to businesses with garage doors.
“Doors are closed when entertainment’s being played,” he said.
The BLC on Wednesday also approved a request for a beer and wine license from Michaelene Meinhardt, who is opening the Buzzed Word in north Ocean City. Meinhardt, who has worked at La Hacienda and Liquid Assets, said the Buzzed Word would be a retail bookstore that would also sell organic wine. She said the wines she planned to sell were not currently being sold in Ocean City so she didn’t expect to be competing with nearby businesses. The board quickly approved the license request.
“There’s nothing like it in Ocean City, that’s for sure,” Esham said.
During Wednesday’s meeting the BLC also approved licenses for Ochos Rios Jerk and Tings and Victoria’s Crab House in Ocean City and Broad Street Station and The Sterling Tavern in Berlin. In addition, an application for transfer of location was approved for Bourbon Street on the Beach and a license transfer was approved for Super Soda in Snow Hill.
