Liquor License Up For Tax Auction

Got  $100,000 and a dream?

If you have pictured yourself as the genial host of bar in Plainfield, make sure you are in Somerville Friday with lots of money and be ready to bid on a liquor license that is up for auction due to unpaid taxes..

The license now belongs to Jedaca Inc. trading as J. C. Lounge, at 210 Richmond Street. The state Division of Taxation will conduct the auction at 10:30 a.m. Friday (July 26) at 75 Veterans Memorial Drive East, Suite 103 in Somerville.

The minimum bid is $100,000 and the successful bidder must submit a renewal application to the municipality and pay the annual fee by Friday. Failure to do so "will result in forfeiture of all monies," the legal notice states.

There are more rules, including paying 25 percent of the winning bid at the time of sale and the balance by noon Monday (July 29). The whole thing can fall through if not all requirements are met. For more information, call the division's Assistant Chief Steve Kelleher at (908) 704-3350 or Investigator O. McLendon at (908) 704-3074.

Retired City Clerk Laddie Wyatt recalled only three other license sales by tax auction in her 23 years of service. It is the first one since Abubakar Jalloh became city clerk in 2011.

Some city officials have deplored the number of bars and liquor stores in Plainfield. The sentiment went so far as to result in 2001 legislation allowing the city to acquire and retire a license in order to reduce the number (Municipal Code Sec. 4:1-36). On the other hand, developer Frank Cretella may need one or more licenses for proposed restaurants downtown.

All liquor licenses must be renewed annually by June 30. One liquor store owner was the subject of a hearing this month after police recommended that his license renewal should be denied. The council will decide on Aug. 19 whether the license should be renewed.

--Bernice