The agents from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission were very nice when they called the Market Square Farmers’ Market folks this week to inform them that the popular Market Square Mixer Cocktail Contest was illegal. But they weren’t so pleasant when they called the seven downtown restaurants that were to participate in the contest this Saturday.
“It was not a fun call,” said someone affiliated with one of the restaurants who asked not to be identified.
“They put the fear of God in them!” is how Market Square primo volunteer Art Carmichael described the conversations.
Here’s the deal. On the third Saturday of each month, the Market Square Farmers’ Market gives participating restaurants a quantity of a certain item from the Market. Last month, for example, it was cucumbers. Tomorrow it was to be tomatoes. The restaurants then make cocktails out of the key ingredient. Visitors to the Farmers’ Market then purchase a ticket and go to each of the participating restaurants to sample the drinks and they vote on the winner. (Click here for a story about last month’s contest.)
Here is the problem, according to Carmichael. Establishments with a license to sell drinks aren’t allowed to give alcoholic beverages away. And technically, because the ticket money goes to the Farmers’ Market rather than the restaurants, that’s what has been happening.
Carmichael said the folks involved plan to put their heads together and figure out another way to structure the contest and, hopefully, comply with the law. But they won’t be able to get that done by tomorrow.
Carmichael said all seven restaurants already have received the tomatoes they were to make the drinks out of. “They are free to use the tomatoes to make the drinks they planned to enter in the contest,” Carmichael said. “They just have to charge for those drinks.” He said the Alcoholic Beverage Commission is expected to send agents into the restaurants tomorrow to see if they are complying.
Carmichael said anyone who already has purchased the $20 drink tickets for tomorrow can come to the Farmers’ Market booth tomorrow for a refund.
To me, this is just another example of Tennessee’s screwed up liquor laws. Anybody else got an opinion?
The Farmer’s Market deserves support. Why can’t the restaurants be allowed to charge a minimum amount for the drinks and keep the program going?
Sounds like splitting hairs to me… but what it’s really about is that the state is not getting the taxes on those drinks. You’d think the restaurants, having done the dance with TABC already, would have realized this might be a problem. The MSFM hasn’t had to meander through the red tape of getting the liquor-by-the-drink license, so it’s understandable they’d have no idea. You’d also think the TABC would have figured it out before now…
Each state has its own archaic, weird liquor laws. All the liquor stores in Pennsylvania are owned by the state, so they control the prices. Only recently have you been able to start buying beer in PA grocery stores, and you must pay for it separately in the “deli” section (technically a restaurant), and get your license scanned and entered into a database. You’re also limited to 192 oz (2 six-packs) per person. If you want more, you must pay for those 2 six-packs, have them bagged and stapled shut, take the bags to your car, and return to the deli department and repeat the process all over again. Adds a half hour to your shopping trip, every time!
Figures… the one I finally had on my schedule! Maybe they could simply give a dollar to each restaurant to cover the drinks… just sayin’!
Thanks for the comments. Becky, you are right about every state having weird liquor laws. It’s just amazing to me that you can buy wine in grocery stores in Alabama – yes, Alabama! – but not here. But gotta say, that’s a very odd situation you described regarding beer in Penn.! Wow.
Scott: sorry, buddy. You would have loved it. Hopefully they’ll figure something out by next month so you can experience the fun.
This issue had me so steamed last night that I had to wait until this a.m. to comment. These events are all about bringing people downtown and, by the way, to spend $, have a good time and tell other folks about it. It seems to me that the state of Tennessee should have better things to worry about, i.e., 49th on ACT scores, obesity, etc. vs. where the $ for ticket sales ends up. We had planned to go to this one, too. And, we were going to take my sister who’s visiting from SFO and who we’re trying to get to move here. She couldn’t believe it when I told her the mixer was cancelled and why. Hopefully the folks in charge will figure something out soon!
Becky, I grew up in PA and remember well the whole LCB store issue and buying beer directly from distributors! CRAZY!
Here’s a possible way around the stupid technicality: what about participating restaurants agreeing to donate tips back to MSFM? Sort of like celebrity bartending done at some places around town on behalf of other nonprofits. MSFM provides market ingredients to participating restaurants, and one “winner” ticket to drinkers. The restaurants/bars set out tip jars and encourage those sampling the drinks to leave the “winner” ticket and a tip in a specific jar. At the end of the day, all the money in the jar goes back to MSFM.
Becky’s correct. This is all about revenue collection. Hope a solution can be found. Since I won’t be tasting tomato-based beverages, I’ve decided to see if all the ingredients needed for a Salad Nicoise (the crave of the day) can be found downtown. I’m betting so.
I also had planned to go for the first time with several friends, and we were very disappointed to learn it was cancelled. I’m really hoping a solution is found and that we have the opportunity to go in the near future.
Maybe the restaurants could simply charge for the drinks by selling the same tickets for Market Square, at whatever an appropriate price would be, allocate the appropriate amount for taxes, and donate the balance to the Market Square folks. They are not out any money, the state gets paid, everyone gets their drink, the ingredients from the Market Square participants get used, and everyone is cool.
Nah, too simple.
That sounds good, Don. I just hope they get something worked out by the third Saturday — we want our Market Mixer back!
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