JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — A popular small business in downtown Jacksonville is closing its doors due to confusion with North Carolina’s liquor laws and operating two separate businesses in one building.
720 Court Street is the home for both The Grazing Tray during the day and Dewey’s at night, with Samantha Prevatte running The Grazing Tray solo, and partnering with Jennifer Morton for Dewey’s.
“During the day, it’s very much a café coffee shop. So you can get breakfast, you can get lunch, and then at night we transition over into more of like a sit-down dinner, where the bar opens and you can get the craft cocktails and the craft food,” said Prevatte.
Both businesses operate in the same space, but alcohol is only served at Dewey’s in the evening.
“We got all of our permit approvals for the temporary, on a local and state level for the liquor license,” said Prevatte. “We operated on that for six months, The Grazing Tray did their thing during the day, Dewey’s Bar and Bistro did their thing at night.”
That’s until mid-December when the ABC Commission paid a visit.
“We got news that the two entities could not exist under the same roof being separate,” said Prevatte.
The city assisted to try and split the space in half, but that led to complications of having to add another kitchen and restroom required by the ABC Commission. The Commission also offered another suggestion.
“Combine the two and make them one,” she said. “Problem is that the ownership structures and the way that we run our businesses are completely different, and so going back and trying to get all of that restructuring done, it just doesn’t make sense for us.”
Unfortunately, the only other option is to close The Grazing Tray. Now Prevatte hopes to warn other restaurateurs for the future.
“I would just say that if anyone in the state of North Carolina is looking to do like a two-concept type thing, just make sure you ask questions because for me and for Jennifer, we expected that the institutions that are there to lead guide and direct us, had it laid out for us,” said Prevatte. “At any point in that application, if it would have stated that, we would have never have done this.”
“If you are applying for that liquor license, that six month period is an audit period. We were also unaware of that. So anything can change,” she added.
The final day The Grazing Tray will be open is February 3rd. Dewey’s Bar and Bistro will continue to operate and may make changes due to the closure.
The front of house and operations manager for The Grazing Tray, Michaela Guidry, added she was shocked when she heard that they were closing. She said that The Grazing Tray staff will be transitioning to work at Dewey’s and knew Prevatte gave them no reason to stress about job security, as she is the best boss Guidry’s had.
Both Prevatte and Guidry said the community support and love have been overwhelming and appreciate every bit of it. A petition has been created to support the two businesses coexisting in the same space.
Click here to find the petition.
