Unpaid sales taxes? Kiss that liquor license goodbye*
*At least until you pay up.
Each year, all the liquor licenses in the city must be renewed.
Old liquor licenses expire April 30 and new ones start May 1. But bars won't be issued a new liquor license if they owe taxes.
That's why, every year, a whole bunch of bars mysteriously close on May 1 -- they haven't paid their taxes in time.
That was the case with the Federal Hill Lounge (pictured), which now has this nifty little sign telling everybody this bar is c-l-o-s-e-d by the Board of Liquor License Commissioners.
I called liquor board spokesman Douglas Paige, who confirmed it.
"They have an outstanding sales tax due to the state of Maryland," he said.
The lounge's owners had plenty of warning, too ...
Paige said every year, they send out notices in January warning bars with back taxes about their impending closure.
Though Paige isn't sure how many bars shut down every year (some temporarily, some permanently) due to tax issues, he said this year between 250-500 bars were shuttered for not paying taxes.
Wow. That's a lot of bars.
(Photo by eCommerce Consultant)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
250-500 in the city or the state? Anybody know how many bars/liquor licenses there are in the city or state?
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | May 11, 2009 2:30 PM
I wouldn't be surprised at 250-300 in Baltimore alone IF liquor stores were included. For every fine beer or wine emporium that most readers here would patronize, there are 2-5 bulletproof boxes we wouldn't approach without a gun at our backs.
Posted by: Alexander D. Mitchell IV | May 11, 2009 2:46 PM
I saw that Three... the restaurant outside Patterson Park with the awkward name, also had a sign like this posted next week.
Posted by: duffster | May 11, 2009 3:25 PM
duffster,
While you were wandering around next week, did you happen to notice what the winning lottery numbers were?:-)
Posted by: RayRay | May 11, 2009 3:30 PM
RayRay.
You SIR have made my day. I don't know why but I can't stop laughing @ your response!
Posted by: JMGiordano | May 11, 2009 3:45 PM
hahahahahaha i just noticed that. awesome!
it reminded me of this sick song, "walking through tomorrow" by the quantic soul orchestra
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qcpx0bsD68
Posted by: Sam Sessa | May 11, 2009 4:05 PM
I second RayRay's response as being pretty damn funny
Posted by: Anonymous | May 11, 2009 4:08 PM
Someone just told me that the Liquor Board shut down Dego Dames at midnight on Friday and a sign like above was posted..As of now they are still closed. Sounds like last year
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | May 11, 2009 9:57 PM
Not that big of a deal for Federal Hill Lounge, they've been closed for five or six months.
Posted by: LGood | May 12, 2009 9:31 AM
Dames still closed "for renovations" as of 4 PM today.
Posted by: jimbo | May 12, 2009 7:05 PM