The owner of Pinky’s Revenge in Taylor is sounding the alarm about a steep increase in operating expenses after South Carolina lawmakers changed liquor liability laws.The owners say they’re hoping to open another location in Greer, one that won’t sell alcohol. “The issue now with the new law, we were allowed to only have $650,000. The liability insurance company said it doesn’t matter. We have to have a million,” owner Jeremy Barnes said during a news conference. Barnes said new liquor liability laws were supposed to help on paper, but in reality, business expenses are getting worse. “We’ve been compliant for close to six months, and everything that the state changed. And it has not helped us. It also has not helped other businesses like ours,” said Jeremy Barnes. In the new rules, some ways bars could reduce costs include stopping the sale of alcohol after midnight, using a digital ID scanner between midnight and 4 a.m., putting servers through approved training, and keeping alcohol sales under 40% of total revenue. “They’re doing everything that was said in the bill. They’re getting the ID scanners, they’re doing the mandatory server training. They’re raising their food percentages. They’re doing all these things. And the insurance companies, unfortunately, aren’t doing anything to help because the law has no teeth. So, the law has no teeth, then they’re not going to lower premiums,” said Christopher Smith with the South Carolina Bar and Tavern Association. The challenges are resulting in the closure of Pinky’s and the start of a new business in downtown Greer, without alcohol. “I have employees that are the most important part. Of my business. And I’m just not going to let them suffer because of the greed in South Carolina. So I decided to go to a smaller location, a good location,” Barnes said. As for new legislation to change the laws again, there’s been no real push from State House leaders to get that done this year.
The owner of Pinky’s Revenge in Taylor is sounding the alarm about a steep increase in operating expenses after South Carolina lawmakers changed liquor liability laws.
The owners say they’re hoping to open another location in Greer, one that won’t sell alcohol.
“The issue now with the new law, we were allowed to only have $650,000. The liability insurance company said it doesn’t matter. We have to have a million,” owner Jeremy Barnes said during a news conference.
Barnes said new liquor liability laws were supposed to help on paper, but in reality, business expenses are getting worse.
“We’ve been compliant for close to six months, and everything that the state changed. And it has not helped us. It also has not helped other businesses like ours,” said Jeremy Barnes.
In the new rules, some ways bars could reduce costs include stopping the sale of alcohol after midnight, using a digital ID scanner between midnight and 4 a.m., putting servers through approved training, and keeping alcohol sales under 40% of total revenue.
“They’re doing everything that was said in the bill. They’re getting the ID scanners, they’re doing the mandatory server training. They’re raising their food percentages. They’re doing all these things. And the insurance companies, unfortunately, aren’t doing anything to help because the law has no teeth. So, the law has no teeth, then they’re not going to lower premiums,” said Christopher Smith with the South Carolina Bar and Tavern Association.
The challenges are resulting in the closure of Pinky’s and the start of a new business in downtown Greer, without alcohol.
“I have employees that are the most important part. Of my business. And I’m just not going to let them suffer because of the greed in South Carolina. So I decided to go to a smaller location, a good location,” Barnes said.
As for new legislation to change the laws again, there’s been no real push from State House leaders to get that done this year.