Documents lacking on beer requests, board says

03.28.05

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By Bobbie Burks
Diversity Institute Fellow

Bernabe Gonzales and L. Arturo Resendiz were looking forward to opening their Nashville restaurant, El Tenampa, fully stocked with alcohol on the first day of April.

But like so many others at last night's Metropolitan Beer Permit Board meeting, their dreams were deferred.

The board's vice chairwoman, Joy Sims, delayed Resendiz's plan of getting an alcohol permit due to missing health department documents. Sims gave the North Gallatin Road business owners as early as today to fulfill the requirements — and as late as April 14, 2005 at another board meeting.

After the decision, the disappointed restaurateurs quickly gathered their belongings and left.

"We are not happy; the inspector gave the okay for beer and now they say we have to come back," said Resendiz, 29, "I was planning to open next month."

Beer inspector Charles Lee said that establishments seeking beer licenses should have all necessities in place to open their businesses, including health inspections, running hot water, seats, zoning approvals, among other items.

In all, 17 out of 22 alcohol permits were rejected for similar reasons.

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