State To Auction Off 40 Expired Liquor Licenses; Some Available In Montgomery County

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is now accepting bids for 40 expired restaurant liquor licenses — the first time since Prohibition that new licenses exceeding the existing quota have been made available.

The auction includes licenses in 21 counties, including four in Philadelphia, two each in Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, and one in Bucks.

"Licenses were selected for this auction based on anticipated high demand for licenses in these areas. The initial auction is capped at 40 licenses in order to test and evaluate market reaction, as well as to ensure thePLCB’s Bureau of Licensing can operationally support the timely processing of the transfer applications and related investigations," the PLCB said.

Bids for these 40 licenses are due Thursday, October 27. Bids will be opened and auction winners will be determined the week of October 31, according to information from the PLCB.

The minimum bid for each license is $25,000, and each bid must be accompanied by a $5,000 bid surety intended to avoid frivolous and underfunded bids, officials said.

The highest responsive bidder for each license will win the right to submit an application for the license to the PLCB within six months of auction award. If bid payment is not received within two weeks of auction award, the second-highest bidder will have opportunity to apply for the license, according to the rules laid out by the PLCB.

Questions can be directed to RA-LBLicenseAuction@pa.gov

PHOTO: Morguefile