Weissport Borough Council voted unanimously to approve the transfer of a liquor license from Lansford to The Gorge Eatery, a restaurant in The Hofford Mill in Weissport, at a hearing during the recent council meeting.

Borough solicitor Gregory Mousseau spoke to the audience.

“There has been a hearing notice placed in a newspaper of general circulation for a request of the applicant, Hofford Mill LLC, which owns property at 500 Bridge Street in Weissport, and they operate a restaurant at that address. The applicant has requested the approval of the board of Weissport for an intermunicipal transfer of a restaurant liquor license. By law, we have to have a period of public comment and hearing; we are doing that tonight.”

Attorney Matthew B. Anderson spoke on behalf of The Hofford Mill, and the business’s CEO Kathryn McEvilly was on hand to answer questions.

“The liquor license number 8277 is coming from Lansford from Marco’s Pizza,” Anderson told council. “The Hofford Mill’s restaurant will not be making changes to their menu or their operations, except to give them more options as to what alcoholic items they can offer. Anything you can buy at a state store, they would be able to sell. They plan to keep the current menu they have now.”

The restaurant has been operating on a satellite license through Radical Wine, a local winery.

“This is the first step of the process,” Anderson said. “We cannot go before the liquor control board until there has been approval from the receiving municipality. The next step is to submit the application for the transfer to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.”

The entire process could take anywhere from one to three months.

According to state law, a municipality may be granted one new liquor license per every 3,000 residents.

In a borough like Weissport, that only allows one license, which is already in use by another business. But the law does allow the transfer of a license.

Councilman Joe Foster asked if the license would be used at the axe throwing facility.

McEvilly said the license can only be used at the restaurant, not at the other business ventures at that location.

Aside from the council members, no other members of the public had any questions about the transfer.

The Weissport council members voted to approve the transfer.

The Hofford Mill is home of The Gorge Eatery, Uncommon Grounds, and Throw House, which specializes in axe throwing.