A new sports bar and grill is one step closer to becoming a reality in downtown Oxford.
The Oxford Village Council last week voted 4-0 to recommend the state issue a liquor license to Orion resident John Gjokaj, owner of the Centennial Commerce Center currently under construction.
Gjokaj is planning to open 5,374-square-foot ‘casual dining sports bar and grill? in his approximately two-story 14,000-square-foot building next to Centennial Park.
‘It’s going to be an upscale sports bar and grill,? Gjokaj told this reporter.
‘It’s obviously going to be a big benefit to the downtown community,? said John Carlin, Jr., the Troy-based attorney representing Gjokaj. ‘It’s going to bring people down there.?
Because there are currently no Class C liquor licenses available in the village, Gjokaj, who owns Promark Properties, has applied for what’s called a ‘development district? license under a new state law signed by the governor at the end of December.
‘As far as I know, this village will be the first one to issue one of these licenses,? Carlin noted.
Carlin explained this new statute is designed to ‘give aid and assistance? to communities that have entities such as downtown development authorities
It was enacted ‘to help them stimulate the growth and economic development of the community,? he said. ‘The number of (liquor) licenses you would have is dependent upon the amount of public and private investment in the Downtown Development Authority over the last five years.?
Under this new law, a community can get one additional liquor license for every $200,000 in public and private monies invested in the DDA district. For example, $800,000 in investments equals four liquor licenses.
In Gjokaj’s case, the village must verify to the state Liquor Control Commission that the total amount of public and private investment in real and personal property within the DDA was at least $200,000 during the preceding five years.
Before a liquor license can be issued under the new law, it’s required that at least $75,000 be invested in the building which will house the licensed establishment.
‘My client anticipates spending well above $75,000,? Carlin wrote in a Jan. 24 letter to council.
Per the new law, Carling said,? The license is not transferrable. It cannot be moved anywhere else in the (village).?
‘If John was willing to sell the restaurant, he could sell (the license) to a new owner, but it would have to stay there,? the attorney explained.
The proposed sports bar and grill will have a seating capacity of 107 ? 17 seats at the bar and 90 in the dining area ? and a full service kitchen serving ‘kind of a new American cuisine.?
‘The kitchen is about a third of his net space,? Carlin noted.
Food and non-alcoholic beverages will comprise the majority of the restaurant’s business with alcohol amounting to approximately 15 percent of the gross sales, according to the attorney.
It was noted that this is not Gjokaj’s first liquor license. He held one when he owned an Italian restaurant in Sterling Heights for several years.