Restaurant-Theater Drops Liquor License Application

A new Salt Lake restaurant-theater abandoned plans Monday to apply for a license to operate as a private liquor club.

Tiffany's Attic Theater Restaurant will still open May 25 at Arrow Press Square, but without the serving of alcoholic beverages.

Plans for the restaurant to function as a private liquor club had drawn criticism from Deputy Atty. Gen. Robert Hansen, who said it was just a way of serving liquor by the drink - which is against state law.

Owners of the firm announced at a press conference that their first aim is to provide fine dining and good theatrical entertainment in one package.

"Liquor service is not an important part of this package," said Dick Carrothers, vice president of the firm, which also operates a similar restaurant in Kansas City, Mo.

He said the liquor operation was not planned for financial profit, but would have been offered to those who wanted it, especially tourists and people attending conventions.

Carrothers said the theater-restaurant needs the support of the entire community.

"If operating as a private club is going to embroil us in public controversy and cause us to lose the support of important segments of the community, then it isn't important for us to operate in this manner," said John Quastler, marketing director for the firm.

The important part of the operation is the dining and wholesome entertainment, he said.

The owners said their reasons for seeking to operate as a private liquor club as well as a restaurant was to provide drinks to those who wanted them as unobtrusively as possible.

"Tiffany's originally investigated the private club status in an attempt to soften the typical restaurant mini-bottle approach," they said.

However, they emphasized repeatedly that the liquor side of the operation wasn't important and was being dropped "to be certain there is no question of Tiffany's intentions in Utah."