ABC's Case Against the Blind Pig is Dismissed

The Kentucky Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control dismissed its case against the Blind Pig at a hearing on Sept. 30, according to the Blind Pig's chef/owner Joseph Frase. The Butchertown gastropub is, and was, open and pouring while awaiting its hearing.

Eater submitted an open records request to the ABC this morning seeking details of the hearing. This website will be updated with any response received.

In June, Peyton Ray the owner of the temporarily shuttered Meat, which operated above the Blind Pig at 1076 E. Washington St., said through a spokesperson, "It would be premature to speculate about the re-opening of Meat before the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Control Board resolves its issues with The Blind Pig's liquor licenses."

Now that the ABC's issues with the Blind Pig have been resolved, a voice mail message was left for Ray at 11:33 a.m. today inquiring about Meat's status. This website will be updated should Ray respond

The alleged violations—which, again, were dismissed— occurred on or about Jan. 16, 2013 and had accused The Blind Pig of

·making "material changes to the licensed premises without authorization by the state administrator"
·transferring "control and use of its supplemental bar license without prior authorization by the state administrator"
·transferring or disposing "of its interest in or control of the licensed premses or license issued by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control without the prior approval of the state administrator"

Here's the backstory—again—about what's happening with these two popular Butchertown spots (it's largely a copy and paste from an earlier story, so if you've already read it, feel free to resume planning your visit to the St. James Court Art Show):

In early April, Meat abruptly announced its temporary closure. A week later, Meat's owner Peyton Ray said a dispute with the Blind Pig involving liquor licensing was the reason. Meat had been "depending on the liquor license of the guys downstairs," Ray said at the time. "Unfortunately, our relations with the guys downstairs deteriorated so much and so quickly that they finally, the other day, just turned off the lights, locked the doors, turned off the water." (Frase disagreed with Ray's allegations but declined to comment further at the time.)

Meat then applied for its own liquor license. Back in April, Ray had said he'd "probably find out more on the status of our [alcohol] license application" on the date of the Blind Pig's hearing—which had been scheduled for May 16, but was later rescheduled to Aug. 13 and then pushed back again to Sept. 30. "We're fully planning on reopening, we just don't know when that's going to be—it could be at the latest, July," Ray said at the time Meat closed.

In another twist to the story, Ray purchased the building that Meat shares with the Blind Pig, in May, a transaction that surprised Frase.
·All Meat Coverage [~ELOU~]
·All Blind Pig Coverage [~ELOU~]

[Photos: Courtesy Blind Pig and Zach Everson]