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<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Heidi Heller, City Clerk/HR Manager <br /> Chris Heineman, City Administrator <br /> <br />DATE: May 24, 2023 <br /> <br />RE: Consider Release of Liquor License Operating Conditions Agreement for the <br />Hoggsbreath <br /> <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED <br />Consider releasing the 2017 Liquor License Operating Conditions Agreement for the <br />Hoggsbreath. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />The Hoggsbreath at 2504 Rice Street, is a long-time Little Canada restaurant/bar and was a very <br />popular entertainment destination after 9:00pm when music and dancing were available until <br />2:00am. There were always some police calls here, which is not uncommon for a bar that <br />attracts a larger crowd, particularly on weekends, but in June 2017, a shooting occurred at the <br />Hoggsbreath in the parking lot/across the street by a patron from the bar. Some police calls had <br />started becoming more serious in the years leading up to 2017 and City staff and the Council had <br />concerns, but after the shooting occurred, Staff and the Council felt more serious steps needed to <br />be taken. After meetings with Hoggsbreath owners, Tom & Jocelyn Duray, City Staff, the <br />Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department and City Council, an agreement was drafted and approved <br />that put several conditions in place for the operations of the Hoggsbreath in order to maintain <br />their liquor license. The Duray’s have cooperated and complied with the conditions, and no <br />further serious incidents have occurred. Then in 2020 the pandemic hit and all restaurants were <br />forced to close for months, and even after re-opening, business was not the same, and most <br />restaurants have had to change their business models in order to survive. <br /> <br />Tom Duray has submitted an email requesting that the liquor license conditions for the <br />Hoggsbreath now be released since his business is not the same as it was pre-pandemic. He is <br />now focusing on being only a restaurant instead of an entertainment destination, they close at <br />midnight and no longer offer music and dancing. The conditions in the agreement are no longer <br />applicable due to how the Hoggsbreath is now operating. Staff has reviewed the police calls for <br />service to the Hoggsbreath over the last few years and there have been no incidents that are <br />beyond what a normal restaurant that serves alcohol will have. Mr. Duray will be in attendance <br />to discuss his request. <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Staff recommends the Council consider releasing the Liquor License Operating Conditions <br />Agreement for the Hoggsbreath.