Ringgold City Council members are considering a request by Acoustic Cafe owners Jason Phibbs and Bruce McNew to extend their business hours and the time to cut off pouring drinks.
Acoustic Cafe, at 61 RBC Drive behind Remco Business Center, is open from 11 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday. Alcohol can be poured until 11:30 p.m. nightly. The business owners are requesting to be able to pour alcohol until 2:30 a.m. and close at 3 a.m. nightly. The cafe would also like to be open on Sundays beginning at 1 p.m.
“I got 140 signatures of people wanting to hang out later at Acoustic Cafe,” said McNew. “Some people get off at the local mills at 11:30 p.m. Don’t these people have a right to a good meal and an adult beverage?”
McNew said he is concerned because people leave his cafe when he closes to head to Chattanooga.
“For our comfort level as a business, closing at midnight is killing us,” said McNew. “If you work in the yard, take a shower and get ready to go out, then you have two hours left to spend with us.”
With enough seating for 90 patrons, McNew said Acoustic Cafe provides 11 jobs to local people and deals with local accountants, banks and lawyers. The business provides a restaurant and music to the community. The cafe hosts gospel singings and benefits too.
Ringgold City Manager Dan Wright said the city has liquor by the drink and beer ordinances. In order to lengthen the amount of pouring time for restaurants, Wright said the ordinances would have to be changed.
“Malt beverages can be consumed until 1 a.m.,” said Wright. “The cutoff to serve liquor by the drink is 11:30 p.m.”
Ringgold Vice Mayor Terry Crawford said he would like to table the request to review it and the council agreed to look at the request again at the next scheduled Ringgold City Council meeting July 12. The Ringgold City Council meeting for June 28 will be canceled due to a Georgia Municipal Association Convention.
In other business:
• Ringgold City Council approved the purchase of a Ford F-350 4×4 flatbed truck for $32,066.54 for the Parks and Recreation Department.
• The city of Ringgold updated its computer server for city employees for $5,177. The city can scan, do mapping and store videos now.
• Ringgold City Council approved $9,990 to extend a sewer line 330 feet off of Georgia 2 to the Georgia Winery and the new Subway in front of the winery.
• Ringgold City Council voted to lower the speed limit from 30 mph to 20 mph near the Little General Children’s Park.