September is National Service Dog Month! As we celebrate and commemorate these incredible animals and their teams this month, it is important to think beyond the fluffy-tailed cuteness to have a discussion regarding some of the everyday realities that service animal teams experience, and how this impacts your alcoholic beverage business. What Do Service Animals…
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Please welcome our newest team member and attorney, Elizabeth “Brooks” Savage! Brooks practices intellectual property, business, and administrative law, with a focus on vice industries. Particularly in the alcoholic beverage industry, she represents small and independent alcohol producers and retailers (such as breweries, wineries, distilleries, bars, and restaurants) with brand development and protection, business formation…
DetailsWhat is an Office Action? An Office Action is a type of rejection letter issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) with respect to your trademark application. Office Actions may be issued, among other reasons, due to likelihood of confusion between your mark and a registered trademark, geographic descriptiveness, the generic or…
DetailsWhat is an Operating Agreement? An Operating Agreement is a contract between the members of an LLC which serves as the LLC’s governing document. The Operating Agreement outlines voting and ownership percentages, delegates authority to specific managers or members, and determines how distributions of profits and losses, and transfers of interest may occur, among other…
DetailsBusiness formation Before you start your new brewery, you should consider the different types of business structures under which your brewery could operate. There are several different forms of businesses such as Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), and Corporations. Before you start your brewery you should determine which structure is best for your…
DetailsWe know that COVID has really taken its toll on a lot of small businesses in North Carolina, especially the craft beverage industry. Unfortunately, COVID and the government restrictions have closed a lot of our local bars. While it saddens us to see our favorite 80’s bar or the little dive place around the corner…
DetailsChoosing a trademark can be one of the most exciting parts about building your business. Your trademark should represent your brand and identify your company as the source of your brand’s goods or services. It is important to choose a strong trademark which will offer greater protectability and less risk to potential infringements and challenges.…
DetailsIt’s October 27th which means it is National American Beer Day. National American Beer Day is a special day in North Carolina, because October is also North Carolina Beer Month. North Carolina, with over 300 breweries, has a booming beer industry. Grab a cold one and celebrate with these facts about the beer industry in…
DetailsHalloween is almost upon us, and as it approaches, trademark owners must be alert of something especially frightening. Recently, our firm has received another scam letter for trademark renewal fees. The letter, which says it was sent from the “Patent & Trademark Bureau,” is requesting for us to pay a $925 renewal fee for our…
DetailsSeveral new ABC-Related laws went into effect this past summer on July 1, 2020. We have compiled the new laws (which can be found on the Virginia ABC website) which are most likely to affect breweries, wineries, distilleries, and restaurants in Virginia. Mixed Beverage Referendum (HB2634 and SB1110) – This law permits Virginia ABC to sell…
DetailsLast week, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order #169 allowing bars to reopen for outdoor alcohol consumption. Along with the outdoor service requirement came additional measures to address Covid-19 from the Governor and the ABC. The most notable of those measures is the continuation of temporary extensions of premises for on-premise consumption granted by the…
DetailsWith the COVID-19 pandemic spreading throughout the world rapidly this year, the decision was made in April, during the height of the pandemic, to cancel Oktoberfest 2020 in Munich. While, many of us already know that it’s been cancelled, along with basically everything else this year, do you really know the story behind Oktoberfest and…
DetailsIt’s no surprise that someone figured out a way to make a light, low-cal, refreshing alcoholic beverage perfect for those hot summer days on the beach that we all know as seltzers. What is a surprise is that, with all the hype over “only 90 calories” seltzer drinks, is that the production of these alcoholic…
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We’re getting a lot of questions about the differences between Private Bars and Private Clubs in NC. That means it’s time to blog about it! Background NC has had the Private Club designation for Retail alcohol sales permits for a long time. But, the NC Legislature recently made a change. The 2019 legislative session saw…
DetailsSome people hoard toilet paper and some people buy a crap ton of beer. With alcohol and ABC stores having been declared “essential” during this time of chaos and Coronavirus, many people have truly taken advantage of alcohol being considered an essential item, which recent stats have shown. I guess it makes sense, there’s nothing…
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An unprecedented or unexpected event or set of circumstances can throw a wrench into our contracted relationships and expectations. COVID-19 is just such an event and his having just such an impact.
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We’re getting a lot of questions about specifics of curbside service for alcohol retailers. Here’s some helpful hints.
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Managing your business during a crisis is never easy. The difficulty is compounded when the crisis is in your business AND all around you. Right now, as business owners and managers, you’re facing tough decisions about your staff and your business while staring down the barrel of uncertainty.
DetailsOur readers might remember a BLC blog post on Groovy Guy Gifts (check it out here). Groovy Groomsmen Gifts (a subsection of Groovy Guy Gifts) reached out to me again to test one of their products. I picked the Ace of Case which is a leather travel kit. The travel kit was the perfect gift…
DetailsRecently we had a potential client contact us because the NC ABC threatened to shut down his alcohol establishment. Sounds sad, but we discovered a major compliance issue. The man, let’s say his name was George, was part owner of a nightclub in Downtown Raleigh. He received a letter from the ABC on Friday morning.…
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