Lyndsay Taylor was surprised by the impact draft beer service had at her restaurant, Sips on the Square Thursday.
“It’s been hectic, that’s for sure,” she said. “We’re definitely working on some kinks but, so far, I have been amazed at the business we’ve had just since lunch.”
Taylor and her husband, Jamie, approached Troy City Council, asking if members would support making draft beer legal for local restaurants to serve.
They knew they had the support of the community. The signatures they collected on a petition they started told them that.
Jamie Taylor said he and his wife had done a lot of research on the subject, seeking the opposing arguments and any obstacles. The only one they saw was regarding off-premise sales. He assured the council that he would not sell kegs from his restaurant.
“We don’t wanna see teenagers dragging kegs to their dorm rooms,” he said.
With the “okay” from the City Council, passing the law was a matter of sending a bill through state legislators and adopting an ordinance once the bill passed.
Along the way, the entire county came aboard, adding wording to the bill that would allow other municipalities to pass ordinances in the future. The City of Brundidge plans to introduce the ordinance and Goshen Town Council said it would entertain passing an ordinance if anyone opened a restaurant in the area.
For Lyndsay Taylor, it was just a waiting game. And it is one she doesn’t regret.
“Now that the law has passed, it’s been extremely exciting that people are receptive and supportive of it,” she said. “The response has been super positive and everyone says the beer tastes great, so that’s a plus.”
Joe St. Pierre and his friends, Matt Mays and Wes Johnson, are regulars at Sips. He said the addition of draft service would encourage him to spend even more time downtown.
“This is probably going to be the best selection around. It’s not just the light stuff. They’ve got quality beer,” St. Pierre said. “Now that they’ve got this selection, we’ll probably come a bit more often.”