The application of World of Beer for a license to sell alcohol in downtown Fullerton was withdrawn November 19, just two days after the planning commission refused its second continuance request. The Department of Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) had taken no action on the application for a license to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits pending approval of a conditional use permit (CUP) for the premises at 109 South Harbor Blvd, which is currently occupied by Blanquel Popular Art and Semilla, a plant shop. It would have been license number 59 in Census Tract 113, basically, the Restaurant Overlay District.

Blanquel Popular Art and Semilla (plant store) would have been replaced by World of Beer. Photo by Jesse La Tour.

World of Beer, according to a September 15 planning staff report, is “a national restaurant chain with 48 locations in the United States and one international location.” Acting as Aabhar Hospitality LLC, the owners of the proposed enterprise are Bijal Patel and Dhaval Panchal. The enterprise was incorporated January 20, 2020, and registered at 109 S. Harbor Blvd. The agent for service of process is Kanubhai Patel in southwest Fullerton.

In order for the above-referenced business to proceed at said location, a new application for a CUP would have to be filed. A new application for an alcohol license would also have to be filed with ABC. Upon filing, the applicant must then post a large orange sign on the front of the premises.  Then any person objecting to the granting of a license at that location would have just 30 days to file their objection with ABC. If objections are filed, ABC must have a public hearing presided over by an administrative law judge.

Carla Duron, owner of the plant shop Semilla at 109 South Harbor, said the World of Beer sign had been posted some time in 2020 and that she knew some people had filed protests. No hearing had yet taken place before the withdrawal of the application.