Have you ever dreamed of opening a pub, cantina, or saloon, only to realize that getting a liquor license is extremely expensive? Well. There may be a great workaround that can help get you into business on the cheap.
PENNSYLVANIA STATE | On Sept. 7, 2022, The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) announced that it will auction 21 expired restaurant licenses in November. There will be one license available from 21 different counties. The auction will be sealed. Bidding will open at $25,000. Bids are due by noon Monday, Oct. 31. and will be opened Wednesday, Nov. 2. Auction winners will be announced soon after. A security deposit of $5,000 or 5% of the total price is required prior to bidding. The winner will win the right to apply for a license from the PLCB within six months of the auction. The second-highest bidder will have the opportunity to apply for the license if payment is not received within two weeks. The PLCB will hold funds during the license approval process. This is the 11th license auction since the program started in 2016 and the first since the pandemic.
Interested parties can submit their Bids online. Questions must be submitted to RA-LBLicenseAuction@pa.gov by noon Friday, Sept. 23. Questions and answers will be posted to the Department of General Services e-marketplace website by 3:00 PM Wednesday, Sept. 28.
Licenses are available in Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clinton, Dauphin, Delaware, Elk, Lebanon, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Schuylkill, Wayne, and York counties.
