Chili’s Grill & Bar got a thumbs up from Oxford officials last week to receive the township’s last Class C liquor license.
‘I welcome you,? said Trustee Pat Fitchena. ‘I think Chili’s does a nice job.?
Plans are in the works to build a 5,800-square-foot Chili’s in the Promenade at Waterstone shopping center, an 11.47-acre development on the east side of M-24, between the Meijer driveway and E. Market Street, that received final site plan approval in February.
‘I think the fact that Chili’s is coming to Oxford is evidence that you’re growing and the population is here,? said attorney John B. Carlin, of the Bloomfield Hills-based Plunkett & Cooney, representing Brinker International, Inc., which owns and operates or franchises 1,074 Chili’s restaurants in 49 states and 23 foreign countries.
Together with its other concepts ? Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Maggiano’s Little Italy, On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina, and Corner Bakery ? the company owns and operates or franchises 2,235 restaurants, of which 26 are in Michigan.
Township officials unanimously agreed to recommend the state Liquor Control Commission approve granting Chili’s a Class C liquor license along with an SDM license, Sunday sales permit and official permit for food sales on Sundays between 10 a.m. and Noon.
Based on the 2000 U.S. Census, the township’s certified population of 12,485 entitled it to a quota of eight Class C liquor licenses, which allow for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises.
Seven such licenses have already been issued in the township, leaving one for Chili’s.
To make sure that last license stays in the township should Chili’s ever close its doors here, officials directed their attorney to update and revise an August 2005 agreement they have with Lombardo’s Bar & Grill which is designed to keep the license here.
‘I don’t want to have all of our licenses end up in Royal Oak or Ferndale or Novi and we have nothing here for our residents,? said Treasurer Joe Ferrari.
Officials started doing these agreements as a result of the now-defunct Fatt Daddy’s restaurant closing in the township and selling its liquor license to a restaurant in Novi. ‘That’s another license outside this community,? Ferrari said.
Although township attorney Chris Kaye admitted, ‘There was some question as to whether or not (this agreement is) really going to keep somebody in the community,? such a document ‘would certainly put a great deal of leverage in the hands of the township.?
Carlin assured the board Chili’s would not try to move the license and is willing to sign such an agreement pending some minor language changes.
‘My clients have agreed that they would not take it out of the township,? he said. ‘There has been no movement on the part of Chili’s to do that in any of its restaurants in Michigan. We’ve been here since 1984.?
‘We wouldn’t build this and invest the money if we thought it was not going to be successful,? Carlin added.