After being open for eight months, Puerta Al Paraiso Mexican Grill and Bar obtained a liquor license Dec. 3 and started serving liquor Dec. 16.
Fernando Licona Garcia, manager of the Village Mexican restaurant, said he had always planned on getting a liquor license, but it wasn't available due to a limited number of licenses and population requirements.
The restaurant had to negotiate with someone who already possessed a license and purchase the rights to it, Garcia said. After purchasing the rights, there was an application, court hearing and approval process.
Garcia said he wanted the license to maximize profits, and saw the license as more of a need than a want.
“I mainly got it because I do know that alcohol obviously boosts sales in any business that can easily outdo even the food,” Garcia said. “To be able to serve real margaritas in a Mexican establishment — it’s the type of business that kind of needs that liquor license to operate as a real Mexican restaurant.”
Garcia said that getting this license “opens the door” for the restaurant to be open at night because “at nighttime, college kids look for alcohol and liquor when they go out and drink with friends.”
Since Puerta is located in the Village, it can now compete with other bars such as Brother’s Bar and Grill, The Chug and Be Here Now.
Garcia's target market is mostly Ball State’s campus, which was another motivator for getting the license, he said.
Before getting the license, Puerta only had beer, wine and agave margaritas made with a wine specialty product rather than tequila, so the restaurant did not operate as late at night. Garcia said he expects higher traffic now that the restaurant can serve liquor margaritas.
