Retailers

Restaurants, grocery stores, concessions, brewpubs

CSA assists retailers of all sizes navigate through the maze of laws governing the highly regulated alcoholic beverage industry. We are familiar with liquor laws nationwide, so wherever you operate, we’re prepared to help you comply with the requirements.

Services

CSA helps retailers obtain the licenses needed to sell or serve beer, wine, and spirits. Whether you run a restaurant, brewpub, bar, or grocery store, we have the experience to understand your licensing needs and the know-how to meet deadlines, solve unexpected problems, and make the process go smoothly.

We also help management and corporate counsel understand the regulatory issues affecting large transactions and structure deals to optimize the transition of licenses and prevent interruptions of alcoholic beverage sales or service.

New openings

Our feasibility studies on proposed sites allow our clients to make informed decisions on whether to proceed. After you secure the site, we coordinate all phases of the licensing process, preparing and submitting applications and then following up with regulators to answer questions, overcome objections, and assure timely issuance.

Mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions are a CSA specialty. We provide a clear overview of the regulatory implications to avoid surprises halfway through or after the fact. We work with the transaction attorneys to assure that all your requirements are covered so your patrons enjoy uninterrupted service.

Timely reporting of a major transaction is complex and potentially overwhelming to in-house staff. We have the manpower to step in and the expertise to get it done. And our involvement gives regulators confidence that the reporting will be handled.

Company updates

Changes of ownership or management require prompt disclosure. In many cases, regulators require complete license applications. For operating businesses, timing may be critical. You can rely on our experienced staff to understand and handle the various regulatory implications of your changes.

Premise changes

Every liquor license is issued for a specific “licensed premises.” If expansion or remodeling is planned or store operations are going to change, regulatory approval will likely be needed.

Sometimes, plans to expand premises are combined with visions of expanding privileges. Examples would be:

  • Grocery stores adding dining areas, and wishing to serve beer and wine.
  • Restaurants selling meals to go and hoping to include sales of packaged beer and wine.
  • Wine shops wanting to add wine bar tasting or serve wine by the glass.

Crossover concepts that blend privileges of different licensing types may require extra planning and special attention to succeed. We can prepare a licensing plan to insure that your expansion project goes smoothly.