Earlier this year, Dan and Sammy Harkham applied to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) for a license to sell alcohol at Fairfax Cinema. (CinefamilyAccountability previously reported on the Harkhams’ plans here.) In July, they applied for a license that would limit alcohol sales to beer and wine only, and would require the theater to be a "bona fide public eating place" — defined as a facility “maintained in good faith and used for the regular service of meals to patrons.”
Currently, the ABC’s License Query System indicates the application has been placed on hold. In fact, there appear to be two different holds placed on the application: a Form 220 hold indicates a licensing investigation is still ongoing, while an H&L Protest hold indicates ABC has received a protest to the application.
According to the ABC, grounds for protest may include concerns regarding the operation being a “public nuisance;” misrepresentations in the license application; proximity of the applicant to sensitive areas; questions about the operation’s true ownership; an applicant’s criminal history; and/or other law enforcement concerns. Former staff and volunteers with information relevant to the ABC investigation may provide such information confidentially.
According to staff at the Los Angeles Metro office of the state ABC, the case has been assigned to Licensing Representative Stacy Williams. Ms. Williams can be reached at 213-833-6099, or at stacy [dot] williams [at] abc [dot] ca [dot] gov.