Pepperoni's Tavern Pleads to Patrons For Support

Pepperoni's Tavern, a pizza restaurant & sports bar, on Old Milton Parkway in Alpharetta is facing closure after being refused renewal of its liquor license.  Operating partner Phil Brown claims this treatment is the result of a misunderstanding last year.

(Although at one point related, the similarly logoed Pepperoni's Duluth Ale House on Buford Highway in Duluth is not associated with Pepperoni's Tavern.)  

Last month, Brown posted an open letter to its loyal patrons on the restaurant's facebook page:

"During the current appeal of our Alcohol License to the City of Alpharetta, we desperately need your support. We are attempting to have the City issue our 2016 alcohol license so that we may obtain our State of Georgia license. Without these two licenses, we are unable to serve beer, wine, or spirits. 

During this time, we ask you and your friends to continue to dine at Pepperoni’s Tavern. Please email and tell your friends, have a team party, or buy lunch for the office. Without alcohol sales, our revenues have dropped dramatically. And guess what! Our landlord wants us to pay full rent, the utilities want their bill paid, and most importantly, my employees deserve their paychecks. 

We have served the Alpharetta and Johns Creek communities since 2004. We want to continue to be here to serve you and your families for many more years. We serve the best pizza, great salads, outrageously good wings, and provide family entertainment in our friendly facility. 

We greatly appreciate your support always, but especially now. Please help us rally until we can obtain our licenses.

With grateful thanks for your support, For Pepperoni's Management and Staff, 

Phil Brown - operating partner 

Pepperoni’s Tavern 

***P.S. Please write your City Council Official and/or the Mayor and tell them that you want Pepperoni’s Tavern to stay in Alpharetta. You want the City to issue our Alcohol License."

(Email addresses for Alpharetta's big wig hired leaders were provided in the post but I have chosen not to reprint them here.)  

I spoke with Mr. Brown last month and he explained to me that it is his belief that the transgressions of others were affecting his ability to operate.  The issue stems from a March 2015 raid of the restaurant in which 23 people were arrested on a variety of charges, all related to the operation of and participation in an illegal gambling event.  Over $135,000 in cash and two loaded handguns were also seized in the raid.   Although Phillip Brown was arrested in the raid, he claims he and his business partners were cleared and their charges were subsequently dropped.  

Mr. Brown also explained that he stipulated that no cash be exchanged, and was assured it would not.  In fact, cash did change hands within his establishment and with an undercover officer present and witness to the transaction, the raid occurred.  

When I spoke to Mr. Brown by phone last month, I confirmed that Pepperoni's anchors The Village at Park Bridge, a small strip center on Old Milton Parkway near its intersection with Kimball Bridge Road.  I also unfortunately became  aware via the property's website that the restaurant's space was listed as "Available" as of last month.  The status of the space as available even as Pepperoni's continues to operate, hints at the notion that the center's landlord representative, SRS Real Estate Partners, is being proactive in marketing the space with the likelihood of Pepperoni's continuing as a going concern rather small.  

This past week, Mr. Brown started a gofundme page to raise funds for the restaurant.  Brown reports that the funds raised will be used to "finance our legal efforts to stay in business."  The post does not explain with whom they intend to fight [legally], but when last I attempted to reach Brown by phone, he indicated that on the advice of his counsel he would have no further comment.  

As of last night $85 of a goal of goal of $25,000 had been raised in about a week.  

What are your thoughts on this debacle?  Should Pepperoni's be refused its liquor license because they seemingly unknowingly hosted an illegal gambling event?  Would you donate to help their fight?

Please share your thoughts below.