World of Beer seeks new liquor license

Changes continue to come to the east end of downtown, but area businesses are hoping to maintain stable growth in a burgeoning entertainment district.

By David Conway
| 6:00 a.m. September 29, 2016

World of Beer will continue to operate under the same business model as it seeks a new liquor license, the owners say.

Sarasota
News

Seventeen months after the restaurant and bar World of Beer opened at 1888 Main St., owner Mark Broderick headed to City Hall in hopes of getting a liquor license for his business.

On Sept. 21, Broderick attended a public workshop held to discuss the restaurant’s request to use a new license. During the next three months, Broderick and other World of Beer partners will have to seek approval from city staff, the Planning Board and the City Commission to ensure the business can keep serving liquor.

World of Beer initially operated using a SRX liquor license, used by restaurants with 150 or more seats. The city doesn’t require any special approvals to use this license, but the state mandates that a business with a SRX license must derive at least 51% of its revenue from food sales.

A state audit determined that World of Beer isn’t meeting that mandate. The restaurant is still allowed to sell liquor for now, but Broderick is now working to obtain a 4COP license — which the city classifies as a “nightclub” use — to keep serving long-term.

At the workshop, no members of the public showed up to discuss World of Beer’s proposal. So far, Broderick and property owner Mark Kauffman haven’t heard any complaints from residents.

Broderick said his business wasn’t meeting the sales quota because World of Beer sells many expensive craft beers. Even with the new license, he said the bar would operate as it always had.

“‘Nightclub’ — it’s a weird language to use,” Broderick said. “I think the Sarasota city government should have another description in which it should fall.”

In the neighborhood

When World of Beer opened in April 2015, it was welcomed as an addition to a burgeoning entertainment district.

The east end of downtown continues to trend in that direction: On Friday, the Sarasota Sky Bar and Club officially opened in the historic Charles Ringling building at 1927 Ringling Blvd. Even the bar’s ostensible competitors were happy to hear the news.

“We’re excited whenever a new business opens up on this end,” Broderick said. “That can only improve the environment for businesses.”

Employees at Made Restaurant said activity at neighboring businesses has boosted their sales, as well.

Kauffman said the businesses in the area had a symbiotic relationship. Tim Barrett, the general manager of Made Restaurant on Main Street, said crowds going to a movie at Main Plaza or a show at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre tend to explore the neighborhood’s other options.

Employees help steer traffic to other businesses, too.

“The bartenders all know each other, they hang out with each other, they support each other,” said Mike Evanoff, owner of Office Bar SRQ. “The bartenders and servers send people to other locations in the neighborhood.”

With the redevelopment of Main Plaza still looming, area businesses hope a distinct identity will continue to crystallize.

“It’s a growing entertainment area, in a mature way,” Kauffman said. “The entities that are there aren’t just simply bars; they’re looking for the mature crowd.”