The Pretzel Bakery, the beloved Hill East shop, has applied for a liquor license to serve beer (and possibly wine) alongside its eponymous pretzels. The bakery moved down the street-it’s now at the corner of 15th and C SE a few blocks from Potomac Avenue Metro- in early 2016 and promised it would apply for a license as part of that move. It is seeking a DR liquor license, for up to 38 people inside (18 seated) and 18 on its corner patio, meaning it would only be permitted to serve beer and wine (no hard liquor) and at least 45% of its sales would have to be for food. Permission is being sought to serve drinks 11a-9p every day.

The local ANC 6B alcohol subcommittee considers the liquor license on Thursday, January 4th, with a roll call hearing and protest hearing scheduled on February 27th and April 26th, respectively. If no protests are received by February 13th, you may be enjoying pretzels and beer in no time.

You might think this is uncontroversial, but liquor licenses are never easy, particularly when the location was previously occupied by the notorious New Dragon Carryout. The carryout was the site of an open air drug market and many shootings and had a liquor license before ABRA stripped it in the early 2000s. Some neighbors are still wary of letting booze flow on the corner when so much time and effort (and more) was expended to rid the corner of problems.

[Full Disclosure-I’m on the ANC 6B alcohol subcommittee and live on the same block as Pretzel Bakery.]