When A Bar Is Not A Bar

 Years ago, I worked with a Air Force NCO who was wrapping up his 20 years...retiring, and was in the mindset to open a bar.  Neither he or his wife were really into the bar management business....but they felt this was a simple idea.

About a month before he retires....he's returned to work and discusses the liquor license business.  Whoever laid out the requirements...went into various details how you could be denied the license, and how you could lose the license.  There must have been ten different ways that some city/state inspector could walk in....review the situation, and shut you down.  Without the license, your entire investment was 'finished' (wiped-out).

So one of the details he laid out....if you had an underage kid in the shop....just drinking a soda (at least in this state)....it could be grounds to shut you down.  

This past week, I observed this Florida story, where the luxury hotel had run some trans 'story-hour' for kids....in the bar area.  

Had this been done in the conference center or in some coffee shop....there wasn't much that could be done.  However, they had this in the bar area.

Someone in management should have some knowledge over liquor laws and the license, and just said....you know, lets move this to an area outside of the bar.  But no....that didn't occur.

The Governor?  Well...he went to the liquor board and a review occurred.  The license for the resort is suspended.  There will be some appeal and I'm guessing high-priced lawyers will argue that shutting down the license is unfair.

Adult leadership?  That's the part that makes no sense.  If the state law is clear and you aren't supposed to have kids in a bar (even if they drink water).....then you have a problem.  Yet the bartender and staff never alert the hotel 'boss' over this development?  

As you admire the landscape across the nation presently.....it's like some massive drug-party occurred and a quarter of the nation is doped-up.   They aren't able to grasp whats going on or how it might affect their success.

Running a 4-star hotel/resort.....with a bar that can only serve soda, coffee or water?  That's not a resort attraction.