Annapolis Capital Punishment

In trying to sort out all the facts about Buddy's Crabs and Ribs liquor license, I have given every opportunity to those opposed to the 2 a.m. renewal to come forward with their concerns. I have yet to receive any takers. One e-mailer did make some claims but asked to remain anonymous. On the other hand, Kevin Blonder has willingly discussed the situation with me and while I try to sort it out to make sense of it all, I remain more skeptical of those in opposition than I do of the Blonders.

The Ward One Resident's Association newsletter writes that the Blonders "feel they are entitled to have a 2 am license. The have been turned down at least 7 times...." I am not so sure. I have a copy of the latest license which was issued last May1 and is due to expire on April 30th. It is a B-4.x, Beer, Wine and Liquor license. (See City Code 7.12.230 Restaurants. Class B-4.X: Alcoholic beverages are restricted to on sale only and sales shall be only between the hours of six a.m. and two a.m., seven days a week.) The cost of this license is $2570.

According to Kevin Blonder, the city has been accepting this fee for over a decade and in turn, has been approving its 2 am license. It seems to me that it's a pretty clear precedent. The issue is not about whether they desire a 2 am license and others wish to deny them that. It seems it is about them already having a 2 am license and some are trying to deny that. Blonder tells me that they rarely stay open past midnight but if customers are present, they have the option to serve them beverages after midnight. So what exactly is the issue here, and what exactly is the cause celebre? There certainly does not seem to be a casus belli. I could be walking on thin ice here, but might the Fourteenth Amendment have some bearing on this issue? Just a thought...

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