I got an email today from a client who is buying a restaurant.
He asked me a question I hear very often: can he let ‘use’ the seller’s liquor license until he gets his own? The seller told him he could do it, and that it would speed up the closing a great deal.
The answer is absolutely, unequivocally, no. Never. Under no circumstances. And I mean it.
It doesn’t matter what the seller tells the buyer. Ever.
Operating under someone else’s license is one of the top three violations in the eyes of the Liquor Authority. If you get caught, they will almost certainly revoke the owner’s license, and deny your application. And on top of that, you can probably expect to be banned from filing any other applications for a few years.
Are there ways to close faster without violating the law and jeopardizing your license application, and your future ability to get a liquor license? Yes. Ask me how.
In the meantime, if you or a client have questions or need help with a liquor license issue or transaction, please contact me to see what I can do to help.