Misconception Over Royal Oak Liquor Licenses

According to Royal Oak residents that I have spoken to, and by comments that I have heard at Royal Oak City Commission meetings, I believe that there is a misunderstanding about new liquor licenses in the city of Royal Oak. Many residents are quick to point out that there has been a moratorium on new liquor licenses in the city of Royal Oak for quite some time, but there are still new establishments opening all the time that acquire liquor licenses.

As a former business advisor, I sometimes helped new companies get liquor licenses in cities, like Royal Oak, that had moratoriums on new liquor licenses. What may appear as new liquor licenses for newly opened establishments, are usually old liquor licenses that have been sold to the new location, or transferred from older locations.

I have spoken in the past to representatives in the Royal Oak city government about liquor licenses in the past (as I have had three clients need them in the past for Royal Oak). The city's stance is that they will not allow for new liquor licenses, but they will not make a move to block new companies that are able to acquire old liquor licenses from other companies, transfers, or from the bank in a foreclosure proceeding or auction.