Zingerman's of Ann Arbor has long had the golden touch in the caloric world. It has a national reputation, its co-owner Paul Saginaw is a big proponent of upping the minimum wage, and President Obama even stopped by for a nosh last year when he was in town. The biggest complaint you'll hear usually is that its products can be a little pricey.
So what's up with this?
Pittsfield Township rejects a liquor license request from Zingerman's Creamery on Plaza Drive near the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, Nathan Bomey of the Detroit Free Press writes.
As part of its expansion plan, Zingerman's Creamery wants to add a tasting area with about 20 seats where customers could sample beer, wine and mixed drinks. Although. Pittsfield Township has generally treated Zingerman's favorably in recent years, the board balked at the Creamery's request for a full Class C liquor license.
Pittsfield Township Supervisor Mandy Grewal said the township must guard its liquor licenses prudently, viewing them as an economic development tool.
Municipalities are given a set number of licenses per decade, based on population, and Pittsfield has five remaining through 2021, the Freep reports.
Zingerman's Creamery already has a merchant license to provide samples of beer and wine to customers, but that does not include hard drinks.
"Our recommendation was for them to go for another type of license that can accommodate the tasting," Grewal said, according to the Freep. "We would be more than happy to work with them to get them through the process to get a different type of liquor license to accommodate the vision they have."
