Newsmonger received an ecstatic phone call this afternoon from Friendly Spot management saying Judge William Donovan, a Bexar County JP, has approved the icehouse's application to renew its Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission license to serve beer and wine.
The Friendly Spot got dragged into court Thursday of last week and Monday this week with eight neighbors petitioning the business' TABC license, all over complaints that noise from the popular icehouse has made Southtown living unbearable. Former Madhatter's Tea House owner and former Friendly Spot manager Rene Guerrero was among the voices urging the judge to deny the Friendly Spot's TABC license. A sizable and notable bench of supporters lined up behind the Southtown business, including state Rep. Mike Villarreal, SA city councilman Diego Bernal, County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson and numerous well-known faces within the local chef and restaurant community. Friendly Spot attorney Al Van Huff sent Newsmonger Donovan's short, two-page order denying the petition against the Friendly Spot, which the TABC declined to join, and approving the beer and wine license. "In protests like this, those opposed don't have the right to appeal," Van Huff said. The judge could agree to a rehearing, but that's unlikely, he said. "This is pretty much the end of the road." First Friday drinks anyone?
