Restaurant in 9th and 9th gets a liquor license; damaged Garage on Beck to reopen soon

A restaurant in Salt Lake City’s 9th and 9th neighborhood is now able to serve alcohol — but, due to a license scarcity, no bars received licenses during the Utah liquor commission’s monthly meeting Thursday.

Lola, a Mexican restaurant at 856 E. 900 South, received its liquor license, but none of the three bars on Thursday’s agenda got theirs. Tara Thue, chairperson of the Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services’ (DABS) liquor commission, said the board would likely have one bar license available before their next meeting on May 30.

The meeting did provide a couple of updates, however.

Cade Meier, deputy director of the DABS, said the new state liquor store being built at Edison Street and 300 South in downtown Salt Lake City — to replace the liquor store at 205 W. 400 South — is on track to open in early summer.

“Everything is going well, we’re excited about the plans and the future for the new building and where it’s going to be,” Meier said.

Also, the owner of the Garage on Beck, which was burned in a fire in October, gave an update on how repairs at the bar and music venue are coming along.

Robert McCarthy asked that the commission allow the Garage on Beck to remain closed until the end of May, and asked for an extended closure until the commission meeting on June 27, just in case.

McCarthy said repairs were delayed until Feb. 1 as the insurance company investigated. He said the fire “did do a little more damage than I thought.”

The interior suffered significant damage to wiring, furnaces, the hood system, the audio system, trusses and more, McCarthy said. This was the second fire to damage the Garage — the first happened in 2012, in a vacant lot between the bar and a refinery.

“I don’t know what happened in a past life with me,” McCarthy joked, “but hopefully my karma is all paid.”

The bar will be open “under all circumstances” by June 6, which is when national acts are scheduled to play there. Since the kitchen isn’t ready, McCarthy said food trucks will be onsite to provide food.

On Thursday, the commission also awarded full-service restaurant licenses to 12 applicants, including:

• The Club at Soldier Hollow, 1370 Soldier Hollow Lane, Midway (conditional).

• Wasatch Mountain Cafe, 975 Golf Course Drive, Midway (conditional).

• Bhansa Ghar, 250 W. 2100 South, Salt Lake City (conditional).

• La Fogata Mexican Grill, Taylorsville (conditional).

• Seoul Meat Co., 13273 S. Teal Ridge Way, Riverton (conditional).

• Tamarisk Restaurant, 1710 E. Main St., Green River.

• Crunch Fusion Sushi, 2856 S. 5600 West, West Valley City (conditional).

• Contento Cafe, 2280 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake, Salt Lake City (conditional).

• Wild Thyme Cafe at Trees Ranch, 2501 Zion Park Blvd., Springdale (conditional).

• Blind Rabbit Kitchen, 1080 E. 2100 South, Salt Lake City (projected opening May 1).

• Tip Top Club, Salt Lake City (conditional, projected opening Oct. 1).

• Taboo Pizza, 1895 Washington Blvd., Ogden (conditional, projected opening Oct. 1).

After awarding 13 full-service restaurant licenses (including Lola), the commission will have 24 full-service restaurant licenses available to give out.

Thursday’s meeting was held in Park City. Commissioners toured the Park City club store, a warehouse state liquor store that caters to businesses.