Tuscaloosa Holds Off For Week On Cracker Barrel Liquor License

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — Bloody Mary lovers and fans of mimosas will have to wait at least another week to enjoy certain libations at Tuscaloosa's Cracker Barrel Old Country Store after the City Council on Tuesday opted to table a request from the restaurant for a liquor license to allow the parent company time to address council members.

The request comes following the Lebanon, Tennessee-based parent company's September announcement of plans to add alcohol to the menu at more than 600 of its locations across the country for the first time in its history. Tuscaloosa's lone Cracker Barrel location is at 4800 Doris Pate Drive, which is a popular spot for those traveling on I-59/20.

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Vincent Brown, the city's chief compliance and enforcement officer, said it was thought that company representatives would be on hand for Tuesday's public hearing for the Restaurant Retail Liquor license, but no one was in attendance to speak on the matter in person or remotely.

According to Tuesday's agenda, the request was made by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. and not a local franchisee or firm.

"They are represented by a law firm out of south Alabama and initially they were expecting the local manager and probably the district manager to attend the meeting," Brown said. "I did send the link to the attorney's office in Mobile, spoke with their secretary who was also going to give them the message and sent a link also to someone listed on the application with the company. I did not get a response back from either."

After an initial motion was made to table the request indefinitely, City Attorney Glenda Webb suggested pushing the request to next week's regular City Council meeting to allow more time for the city to hear from the applicant.

The motion was approved unanimously by the Council and will be taken up at its next meeting on Dec. 15 at 6 p.m.

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