Board OK’s beer, wine license for Shipshewana restaurant

The LaGrange County Alcoholic Beverage Board voted unanimously to grant a license to sell beer and wine at a Shipshewana restaurant.

The positive recom­mendation will be con­sidered by the Indiana Alcoholic Beverages Commission, which will make the final decision on whether to grant Shawna Rae’s restaurant a liquor license. Due to remon­strances, it will be flagged as a “problem permit,” said Indiana Excise Of­ficer April Tackett, who serves on the four-person LaGrange County ABB, which also includes Donita Brill, Brenda Campos and Nancy Flores.

Several people spoke in opposition during Thurs­day’s board meeting with concerns alcohol sales will affect the quaint at­mosphere of the town. The hearing seemed tame compared to the full house drawn by a petition to open a liquor store in the historic depot on Morton Street last year. The LaGrange Coun­ty

ABB voted unanimously against the liquor store per­mit due to its location but made it clear that it does not consider Shipshewa­na a “dry town” due to the number of one-day permits to sell alcohol at Shipshe­wana event centers.

Shipshewana resident Christine Yoder, who also serves on the Shipshewana Town Council, said about 70% of the people she has discussed the issue with are against it. For about half of them, Yoder said, it’s the “fear factor” – the unknown effect down­town alcohol consumption could have on the whole­some atmosphere of the town.

“It’s really not who we are,” said Yoder. “We change slow.”

Shawna Atwater, owner of Shawna Rae’s bakery on East Middlebury Street, bar­tended for 18 years at Hein­nie’s restaurant in Elkhart. She promised to police the alcohol consumption at her business. She wants to offer a casual restaurant with up­scale food at 125 ½ Harri­son St.

The owner of the build­ing, John Morse, said he en­visions “a few ladies having drinks with their meal.”

“I don’t see it as a party place,” he said.

Atwater chose to serve alcohol after hearing repeat­ed requests from both visi­tors and locals who want a glass of wine or a beer with their meals. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday.

The restaurant will have two 6-foot windows, one fenced off for alcohol sales and the other for food. At­water said she would limit the number of drinks per person, serve alcoholic bev­erages in a different colored cup than other drinks and ask those 21 years old and older who wish to drink to wear a wrist band showing their ID had been checked.

Concerns were broached about underage people clan­destinely getting drinks. Atwater said in her many years in the restaurant busi­ness, she has learned how to monitor responsible and legal alcohol consumption.

The business will not sell carry-out beverages. People will not be allowed to carry drinks out the door with them, said Atwater.

During Thursday night’s Shipshewana Town Council meeting, council members discussed the possibility of some of the drinks being smuggled out of the restau­rant area. The town could create an open container or­dinance forbidding people from being in public plac­es in town with alcoholic drinks. If the ordinance is passed, drinking on the town streets would be a civ­il infraction enforced by the town police department and punished with fines.

The restaurant is under construction. Atwater de­scribed a “food truck vibe” with outdoor and enclosed seating.

“I love to create an en­vironment,” she said.

Clara Wagler of Kids Kreations, 150 N. Harri­son St., attended Thursday morning’s ABB meeting because of the restaurant’s proximity to her doll shop. Atwater assured her the focus is on fine dining and the alcohol will be priced high enough that “nobody is going to want to come to get drunk.” She described husbands having a burg­er and a beer while their wives shop and women gathering there while their husbands go to an expo at the Michiana Event Center.

“Overall, it’s still a community that opposes alcohol in the communi­ty,” said Wagler, noting she is also opposed to al­cohol being served at the event centers.

The license goes be­fore the state ABC at an upcoming meeting. The board meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. A link to join the meetings online is available at in.gov/atc/alcohol-permit-resources/alcohol-beverage-informa­tion.