Tonight, the Pretzel Bakery in Hill East provided additional details to its neighbors about its plan to serve beer  with its pretzels. According to owner Sean Haney and manager Alan Chargin, who hosted the meeting at the shop along with ANC 6B commissioner Chander Jayraman (a neighboring ANC commissioner, Daniel Ridge also attended to express his support), the Pretzel Bakery hopes to offer six varieties of craft canned beer at around $5 each. Although kegs were first considered, logistical issues (e.g. storage) as well as the inability to offer more than two beers led to the switch to cans. Wine may be offered in the future if customers demand it (no liquor would be allowed under the license if it gets it). The liquor license application seeks permission to offer alcohol from 11a-9p.

The 10 or so neighbors who attended the meeting appeared to unanimously support the concept for serving beer alongside pretzels. A number of neighbors who live directly above Pretzel Bakery (it is located on the ground floor of a condo building) did express concerns that the proposed 9p closing time for the outdoor patio might be problematic due to noise issues; Barred in DC expects the ANC and Pretzel Bakery to enter into a settlement agreement to resolve these issues.

One impetus to get the liquor license is to drive more business later in the day; currently around 2/3 of sales comes in the morning and the shop recently clawed back its hours from 8p to 7p most days of the week. Sean said that he hoped to offer a handful of sandwiches as well to further the same end.

The ANC 6B alcohol subcommittee will take the license application up at its next meeting Thursday, February 9th at 7p at the Hill Center, with the full ANC to consider it on Tuesday, February 14th. The deadline for the ANC (and any neighbors to protest) is February 20th.

[Full Disclosure-I’m on the ANC 6B alcohol subcommittee and live on the same block as Pretzel Bakery. I also talked a lot at the meeting and provided suggestions to Pretzel Bakery. Sorry-I’m a fake journalist.]