Craft beer taproom licensing wave (2010s)
Across the US, small brewers obtained state alcohol licenses well before opening their taprooms. Build-out, inspections, and staffing delays pushed many opening dates months past initial estimates.
Some brewers opened late but built anticipation with pre-opening marketing.
The pattern showed that an alcohol license rarely guarantees an imminent opening.
The Sweet Spot's ABC license is similarly one step, not a guarantee, of an immediate opening.
