DLLC Director Pulls Industry Together on Omnibus Bill

Founded 1936
ARIZONA LICENSED BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION, INC.
Edition 1– 2014
DLLC Director Pulls Industry
Together on Omnibus Bill
Story and Photos by Andy Limber
A
lthough liquor producers, distributors and retailers
are all in the same industry, arriving at a universal
agreement on anything isn’t easy. Each segment of
the three-tier system in Arizona has its own distinctive turf,
its own specific interests and agendas to look after.
Within this mix of similar but differing private sector
enterprises is the regulatory, education and enforcement
hand of government in the form of the Department of
Liquor Licenses and Control (DLLC), which has its own
mandated mission to fulfill.
The 63-page omnibus bill (SB 1397) in the current
session of the state Legislature is a perfect example of how
intelligent and informed leadership can effectively advance
consensus to a potentially successful outcome.
“We wanted to get everyone together in the same room
and go through ideas that people have,” said DLLC
Director Alan Everett. “If it was something from one group
that had total opposition from other segments of the
industry, it would not go in the omnibus bill. We wanted
initial consensus in the industry because we also wanted
support from the entire industry as the bill went through the
legislative process.”
Everett went on to say, “We had three filters for
anything that was brought up. The number one thing from
the Department’s standpoint is public safety. So we wanted
to make sure that any provisions that were brought up
wouldn’t have a detrimental effect on the public. A retail
licensee has an obligation to maintain safety and prevent
violence at a licensed location. That’s important to the total
industry because one incident puts a cloud over all liquor
businesses.
“Number two was not to have any undue burden on the
Department. We have limited resources and there shouldn’t
be anything in legislation that placed an excessive load on
the Department. And the third filter was that we wanted to
maintain the integrity of the three-tier system of producers,
wholesalers and retailers.”
There are tangible reasons why the Director is
concerned about anything causing a DLLC labor overload.
One example is an electronic licensing system that’s about
20 years old, which measured by current technology is
virtually prehistoric and has
numerous limitations. Right now,
for instance, the system does
not have the capability to add a
new licensing category to the
present 17 series of licenses. The
Department is in the process
of developing new computer
software.
Some other parts of the
omnibus bill that the DLLC has an Alan Everett,
interest in are just clarifying Director, Arizona
existing law, like what forms of Department of Liquor
personal
identification
are Licenses & Control
acceptable for purchasing beverage alcohol. Another
important element in this legislative assembly allows farm
wineries—most of them in rural areas—to have two off-site
tasting rooms in more urban locations so they can have
wider public exposure to their wines.
Demonstrating how laws passed one year can be quickly
outdated almost the next, Everett said, “In past legislation,
it allowed retail locations to fill growlers with beer, usually
craft beer. That legislation two years ago says ‘clean glass
container.’ Since then, we’ve discovered there are many
other materials that make up growlers, such as stainless
steel, ceramic, even some vinyl. So we’re expanding the
definition of the material that a growler can be made of.”
Two areas of rapid expansion in the state are farm
wineries and microbreweries. In line with this growth, the
Director noted that “we really didn’t have a good definition
of what a winery was or how you could be declared a
winery. So we’re putting that definition in the omnibus bill,
and it’s pretty simple. You need to have a minimum of
five acres of grapes under cultivation or have a federal
winery license.”
With a solid business background as a petroleum
company executive for 25 years and later as head of his
own consulting practice in strategic planning, Everett
added to his leadership resume as a city councilman in
Barrington, Ill., and a very successful four-year tenure as
mayor of Sedona. When he left office in 2002, the famed
Continued on page 4
The ALBA Reporter is published four times annually by the
Arizona Licensed Beverage Association, a non-profit Arizona
corporation, 77 E. Columbus Ave., Suite 102, Phoenix, Arizona
85012. Telephone: (602) 285-1092 – Fax: (602) 285-1258
Copyright 2014.
Circulation: Bulk mailed to ALBA members, associate members,
other Arizona licensees and to key business, political, law
enforcement and education leaders in Arizona and elsewhere.
Style: Slightly modified Associated Press Stylebook.
Letters to the Editor: Always welcomed. Maximum 200 words.
Subject to editing for length and clarity. Send by regular mail to
ALBA office or e-mail to [email protected]
Managing Editor…………………...Andrew A. Limber
Graphics/Layout…………………...Joseph Belfiore
Advertising Director……………....Fred Mallaire
Proofing/Production Assistants……April Sutter/Deborah Belfiore
Printing…………………………….Brickprint
Circulation………………………....American Bindery
Contributing writers: Drew Alexander, Alan Everett,
Andy Limber, Fred Mallaire, Deanne Poulos
and Bill Weigele.
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OFFICERS
President
Bill Weigele
Phoenix 602-309-7202
Vice President
Robin Cantrell
Branding Iron
Steakhouse & Lounge
Safford 928-651-2411
Vice President
David Delos
Tony’s Cocktail Lounge
Glendale 602-938-1956
Secretary
Brad Henrich
TT Roadhouse
Scottsdale
Treasurer
Fred Mallaire
Phoenix 602-526-7870
DIRECTORS
Anthony Bartoli
Bunkhouse Lounge
Phoenix
Andy Ingram
Four Peaks Brewing Co.
Tempe
Janie Riddle
Valle Luna
Glendale
Daryl Chester
Icehouse Tavern
Jester’s Billiards
Phoenix
Wendy Jack
Wendy Jack’s
Lounge & Restaurant
Avondale
Jim Shaffer
Johnny’s Other Place
Yuma
Mark Desimone
Hidden House
Phoenix
Barbara Jensen-Zgonc
Phoenix
Chris Espinoza
Valle Luna
Phoenix
Jerry & Betty Grotewold
Phoenix
George Hollingsworth
Lions Den
Pinetop
Rich Huie
Salt Cellar Restaurant
Scottsdale
2 ALBA Reporter
Allen McCarthy
Duke’s Sports Bar
Scottsdale
Dave Michelson
The Palace
Prescott
Deanne Poulos
Phoenix
Bill Riddle
Valle Luna
Glendale
Bob Smith
Empty Pockets
Holbrook
Bill Vale
Harold’s Cave Creek
Corral
Cave Creek
Dave Werner
The Dirty Drummer
Phoenix
Frankie Zanzucchi
Pantera
Phoenix
Non-Voting Directors
Steven Barclay
Beer & Wine Distributors
Phoenix
Tracy Uffelman
Phoenix
ALBA-Business Manager
April Sutter
77 E. Columbus Ave. #102
Phoenix, AZ 85012
602-285-1092 or
800-453-5232
ALBA-Admin. Assistant
Deborah Belfiore
77 E. Columbus Ave. #102
Phoenix, AZ 85012
602-285-1092 or
800-453-5232
IN MEMORIAM
Past President
Paul Klett
1911-2007
Past Directors
Phil Bay
1935-2005
Steve Johnson
Tony Marino
1936-2004
James Poulos
1959-2009
Louis Poulos
1929-2011
Bill Weigele,
ALBA President
The President’s Message
The Law and Apologies to Mr. Twain
The great American humorist and novelist Mark
Twain said, “Those who respect the law and love
sausages should watch neither being made.”
You are in one of the most regulated industries in
the country, subject to all kinds of local, state and
federal laws and regulations. So, with all due respect
and apologies to the distinguished Mr. Twain, I submit
that knowing how laws are made will be of value to
you as a liquor licensee. In my view as a licensee for
over 30 years, knowledge of the legislative process
will help you operate your bar, tavern, restaurant,
private club or off-sale business more confidently.
Legislation isn’t just the product of law
enforcement, special interest groups or neighborhood
activists. All segments of our industry, including the
Arizona Licensed Beverage Association as the
representative of state retailers, play a major role in
the final outcome of proposed bills.
The laws and regulations that govern our state’s
liquor licensees are in Arizona Revised Statutes Title
4. As other legislation, a law must be passed by the
state Legislature then signed by the governor. If the
law is on the governor’s desk unsigned for ten days, it
automatically becomes law, unless it’s vetoed within
that period.
A new law usually starts out as an idea somebody
has to limit the amount of alcohol available to the
public or to improve existing laws that govern the use
of alcohol. Either way, a legislator is the sponsor of a
bill, the document that contains the language of the
intended law. The more sponsors of a bill the better
chance it has to become enacted into law.
The bill is assigned to various committees, where
there are opportunities for supporters and
non-supporters to testify for or against the bill.
Anyone can present their case regarding the
legislation, although in most instances it’s the lobbyist
representing clients who have a vested interest in the
bill one way or another. If the committee hearing the
bill passes it, it then goes to the next committee or to
the full House of Representatives and the Senate. If
both these bodies pass it, it’s forwarded to the
governor for a signature.
Laws usually become effective 90 days after the
close of the legislative session, unless they contain an
emergency clause. Then they become effective much
sooner. It can take two years or more to get a law
passed, depending on how much it’s opposed. Don’t
think for a moment that this whole process is in the
exclusive domain of politicians. It’s not. You, as a
licensee and citizen, have an important voice in all
legislative matters, either individually, a group, or
through a lobbyist.
Lobbyists devote most of their time meeting with
legislators to inform them of their clients’ viewpoints
and promote their interests. They particularly
establish relationships with legislative members who
serve on committees that may accept or reject a bill
after it’s heard at assigned hearings.
Sometimes it’s easier to get a bill passed when
multiple organizations and governmental agencies
combine their efforts and interests. This was the case
this year with SB 1397, the liquor omnibus bill, that is
being supported by many industry players and the
Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (see
related story in this issue of the ALBA Reporter). An
omnibus bill is a piece of legislation that covers many
items related to a single industry that are agreed upon
by the parties submitting the bill. This allows for one
bill to be written rather than several bills for each
legal subject involved.
Even with all this coordinated support and effort,
it’s vital that you as an individual licensee be heard
and that you support your industry. Telephone calls
and e-mails get the attention of legislators, especially
if you are a constituent in their district.
At www.azleg.gov you can find all the contact
information you will need. If you want some help
navigating the website, please feel free to contact me
on my personal cell phone at (602) 309-7202, or call
the ALBA office in Phoenix at (602) 285-1092 or
Toll-free 1-800-453-5232. v
ALBA Reporter 3
Omnibus Bill
Contiued from page 1
“We wanted to
get everyone
together in the
same room.”
“It’s not that
easy to make
changes.”
Red Rock community had a $9 million surplus. With this
impressive background in mind, it’s no wonder that
Everett, now entering his fourth year at the helm of the
DLLC, views the private sector liquor industry as an
integral part of Arizona’s economy and encourages its
growth.
“Among the most important things we do is issue a
license because no one can start up a liquor business
without one,” said Everett. “We want people to get their
license, we want them to open up their business, we want
them to hire other people and pay sales tax and income tax
and all those things. The liquor industry here contributes
just under five hundred million dollars in direct taxes to
the state of Arizona. That doesn’t include the taxes paid to
counties, cities and towns. That five hundred million
dollars represents almost eight percent of the state budget.
So we’re interested in people opening restaurants and all
types of retail liquor establishments. Connie Wagner and
her licensing staff understand their responsibility in this
and process every application as efficiently as possible and
move it through the system.”
Since being appointed Director of the Liquor
Department in June 2010 by Gov. Jan Brewer, Everett says
he’s had some learning experiences. “Maybe at one time I
thought we could streamline or smooth out some of the
regulations. But as I got more into them, I understood some
of the reasoning behind them and that it’s not that easy to
make changes. Changing rules, changing statutes creates a
ripple effect throughout the industry. Much of it goes right
back to public safety, and I would never advocate anything
that would diminish that part of our mission.”
Everett says he has changed the strategy of the
4 ALBA Reporter
Department somewhat, all linked to public safety. “Our
strategy now is education, prevention and enforcement, in
that order. We want to keep people in business, we don’t
want to have our officers out there trying to shut down
places. We would rather find people that seem to be going
off track and help them get compliant with the law and
keep them in business, instead of them getting way out and
causing problems and by then have to leave the industry.”
Speaking about the private liquor law trainers in the
state, such as the Arizona Business Council for Alcohol
Education (ABC), the education arm of ALBA, the
Director said, “They have a major impact on the public
safety aspect. Teaching licensees and their employees the
right way to do things and the way to stay out of any
difficulties with the Department is extremely important.
“Most people who are doing things wrong are doing
things in contrast to what the statutes allow. It’s usually
because they’re not knowledgeable. So if we can educate
them—and when I say ‘we,’ I mean it’s a partnership
between the Department and the Title Four trainers, all of
us working together to keep people running their (liquor)
businesses correctly.”
Asked if he favored mandatory liquor law training in
Arizona, Everett said, “I don’t really like the word
‘mandatory.’ Personally, as a businessperson, I just can’t
imagine that someone would open up a (liquor) business
and not have all of his or her employees trained. It can save
you money; it can keep you from doing things improperly.
The owner of a business is not there all the time, so they
have to depend upon their people to handle the sale and
service of liquor products correctly.”
Presently, Title 4 makes licensees responsible for their
“ALBA does a great job of training and
representing liquor retailers.”
“Our strategy now is education,
prevention and enforcement.”
employees to be informed about the state’s liquor laws
and regulations.
The Director emphasized the merits of the Arizona
Licensed Beverage Association, saying, “ALBA does a
great job in training and representing liquor retailers in
the state of Arizona. We want to hear from organizations
like ALBA. It’s impossible to go out and hear
individually from six or seven thousand retail licensees.
An association knows what its membership needs, so it
helps us to know what’s on their mind.”
“We’re really open to customer suggestions, negative
and positive,” said Lee Hill, DLLC director of
communications and special projects. “We want to
know what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong.
Our customer satisfactions surveys are read, we really
pay attention to them. People are not wasting their time
when they fill them out.”
Liquor Department investigators never know what
they will encounter in the field sometimes, especially at
large special events. At the Waste Management Phoenix
Open earlier this year, a man from California was
passing out miniature sample-size bottles of a new
whiskey-like adult beverage called Coldcock from the
back of his truck. He was either ignorant of the law
against such illegal sampling or was trying to skirt it.
Regardless, he didn’t score well with the DLLC law
enforcement officer. v
“We want people to get their
license…to open up their business.”
The DLLC offices are at 800 W. Washington St., Fifth Floor,
in Phoenix, AZ 85007. Telephone: (602) 542-5141.
Fax: (602) 542-5707 Website: www.azliquor.gov
ALBA Reporter 5
By Fred Mallaire, Chairman,
Government Relations
Committee
Other States and Mandatory
Liquor Law Training
To have or not to have mandatory liquor law training in
Arizona, that has been the question debated on and off for
years. So now, since ALBA is in the business of teaching
Title 4 liquor law statewide through its Arizona Business
Council for Alcohol Education (ABC), we thought it might
be enlightening to see what other states are doing in this
area.
While all 50 states have training programs for the
servers and sellers of beverage alcohol, just 18 states make
such training mandatory—Alaska, Delaware, Illinois,
Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island,
Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. In
Arizona, Title 4 places the responsibility on liquor
licensees to assure that their employees have knowledge of
the law governing their business.
A number of studies have been done to determine if
there are any correlations between mandatory liquor law
training and traffic safety, including any reductions in DUI
violations. Such investigations have had mixed results
because it’s just not possible to attribute alcohol education
as the primary reason that shapes a statistical outcome.
However, one study in Oregon was able to effectively find
that there was a significant reduction in single-vehicle
crash fatality rates after the state installed mandatory
Responsible Beverage Service programs. In 1985, Oregon
was the first state to mandate such training.
The impact of the Oregon law increased over the three
years since it was enacted, as did the number of servers
that were trained. In the first six months there was a
reduction of four percent. By the end of the year, the
reduction was up to 11 percent, increasing to a reduction of
18 percent by the end of the second year and 23 percent by
the end of the third year. When this legislation was
amended in 1987, it required that existing liquor licensees
and new license applicants had to complete a
management-training program.
Another study showed that Washington state also had a
reduction in alcohol-related auto collisions when liquor
server training became mandatory following legislative
actions in the mid-1990s. After the first year, there was
a 24 percent drop in drinking-driver collisions. By the
seventh year, such accident rates fell by 34 percent.
The results in Wisconsin were not quite as dramatic,
but alcohol-related traffic collisions did eventually
decrease by the seventh year by 30 percent.
In a study measuring attitudes and competency of
servers in states with mandatory liquor law training, there
were some interesting results. Vermont, for instance, has
investigators who check on compliance of the state’s Title
7 Liquor Laws by on and off sale personnel who have had
training. In 2012, the compliance rates were exceptionally
high: 92 percent for on-sale establishments and 94 percent
for off-sale locations.
A Rhode Island study had a broader scope, exploring
the long-term impact of server training. After nearly a year
and a half, those servers who had liquor law training
scored higher in the preferred qualities of server conduct
than those that had no training.
The most important voice regarding liquor law training
policies is, of course, the general public. A national
representative survey of adults 18 and over found that 89
percent of the respondents favored mandating liquor law
training for servers, and 88 percent favoring management
training.
In what direction Arizona goes on this issue remains to
be seen. v
New ABC Liquor Law Evening Classes
April Sutter, director of training at the Arizona Business Council
for Alcohol Education (ABC), has announced the start of once a
month Title 4 Liquor Law Training Classes at the ABC-ALBA office
in Phoenix, 77 E. Columbus Ave., Suite 102.
The next two classes are Wed., May 14 and Wed., June 18. On
both dates the Basic course is from 3 to 7 p.m. and the Management
seminar from 7 to 9 p.m.
Seating is limited. For more information and to register call
(602) 285-1396.
6 ALBA Reporter
ALBA Reporter 7
April Sutter Directs Statewide
Liquor Law Classes
By Drew Alexander
For the better part of the 29year history of the non-profit
Arizona Business Council for
Alcohol Education (ABC), April
Sutter has been the efficient,
always reliable office coordinator
for Title 4 liquor law training
classes held throughout Arizona.
Founded in 1985 by key business associations in the state and
the first such organization to be
certified by the Department of
April Sutter
Liquor Licenses and Control
(DLLC), ABC has trained some 300,000 servers, bartenders,
managers and owners.
From its inception, ABC has enjoyed a mutually beneficial
working relationship with the Arizona Licensed Beverage
Association (ALBA) by sharing office space and administrative personnel. In 2010, ALBA decided to enter the liquor law
training business and had the opportunity to purchase the
assets, professional curriculum and the well-established and
highly respected ABC brand.
No longer needing a separate ABC
chief executive, those duties were
absorbed by ALBA President Bill
Weigele. Longtime Business Manager
April Sutter also became director
of training, involving a multitude of
responsibilities, and aided by Training
Coordinater Deborah Belfiore.
“We keep the instructors up to date Deborah Belfiore
with training materials, we handle all the
scheduling for classes in over a dozen communities statewide,
and we keep up with legislative activity because liquor laws
change every year,” said Sutter. “Then there’s the financial
collection and bookkeeping we have to do, along with other
details that are a part of our daily routine.”
Not content with just reading about legislative matters,
Sutter has made several visits to the Legislature while in session to personally track proposed and pending bills that might
change some aspect of alcohol education.
So what’s the big deal about liquor law training?
“To me, education is a form of inexpensive insurance,”
says Sutter. “You spend all that money building your establishment, your licensing and everything else, so your people
serving beverage alcohol need to be educated in the law.
There’s a potential liability involved, including Liquor
Department fines that can range from a few hundred dollars to
thousands. That can be far more than the cost of receiving
Title 4 training.”
The four-hour Basic course is $30, and the two-hour
Management seminar is $50. Attendees in both classes receive
DLLC Certificates of Completion valid for three years.
As if Sutter, a wife and mother of a 16-year-old son, isn’t
busy enough, she’s taken on yet another role in the industry as
secretary-treasurer of the newly formed Arizona Liquor Law
Training Association (ALLTA). The purpose of the non-profit
group composed of some twenty DLLC certified liquor law
training entities is to present a unified voice regarding legislation and rules that impact their education mission. ALLTA
members meet once a month.
No matter where you are in Arizona, you can easily learn
where and when the nearest ABC Title 4 liquor law classes are
scheduled. Call (602) 285-1396 or Toll-free at 1-800-4537597. The ABC website is www.bcae.com. v
A Reminder from the DLLC
Licensees: Prepare Early for Super Bowl
Feb. 1, 2015 is not really that far away. That’s when
Super Bowl XLIX (49) will be played in Arizona. More
than a million people are expected to be in the Valley of the
Sun for the game and its accompanying events.
Although the game will be played at the University of
Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, and a 12-block area of downtown Phoenix will be the core of Super Bowl festivities,
enterprising bars, taverns, restaurants, hotels and resorts all
over the Valley will no doubt be welcoming football’s most
ardent fans with Super Bowl-themed specials and events.
In 2008, the last time the Super Bowl was here, it
brought $500 million into the Phoenix metro area.
8 ALBA Reporter
Projections are that total revenues will be higher in 2015.
So, if you’re a licensee, the Department of Liquor
Licenses and Control has this important reminder on its
website: “Due to the volume of special events applications
expected, it’s recommended that you submit your application and/or extension of premises (temporary or permanent)
to the state six months prior to your event.”
If you want your piece of the Super Bowl pie, don’t procrastinate. Don’t wait until the last minute to secure the
DLLC approvals you’ll need if your establishment is going
to do something out of the regular course of business as a
result of the Super Bowl. v
Meet Your Members
Story and Photos by Andy Limber
Horses, Harleys and Hummers
The Fun is at Harold’s Corral in Cave Creek
From left, Dan Piacquadio, Marie Vale and
Marie Vale with a permaBill Vale, owners of the famed Harold’s Cave
nent fun fixture at Harold’s,
Creek Corral.
‘Willie Nelson.’
It was a time when a loaf of bread was a dime, when a present are everywhere in the famed eating and drinking
quarter would buy you a pound of coffee, and when you could establishment that attracts people from as far away as Europe
own a brand-new car for less than $600 and fill the tank with and Japan. The walls are a veritable treasure for history buffs,
20-cent-a-gallon gasoline.
with photos and other items not seen elsewhere. Some cusThe year was 1935 when an enterprising man named tomers are so attached to Harold’s that they want their presJohnny Walker (no, not that Johnny Walker) trekked some 30 ence seen in the place even after they’re gone. “We have a
miles north of Phoenix through the High Sonoran Desert to a wall of people who were Harold’s customers who specifically
small settlement called Cave Creek
asked that when they died they
to build a bar he named the Corral.
wanted their picture here,” said
His core clientele were the vigorous
Bill Vale, one of the three owners
men constructing nearby Bartlett
of today’s Harold’s Cave Creek
Dam and cowboys working at the
Corral.
areas ranches. The beverage of
Vale spent much of his life in
choice was the most popular beer of
the computer business in Boston
the day, A-1 Pilsner, brewed in
and decided in 1992 he wanted to
Phoenix and promoted as “The
come to Arizona and play golf
Western Way to Say Welcome.”
every day. Although his passion
In the mid-1950s, the bar, a modfor the game never faded, golf had
est wood-frame building that had Harold’s today – 11,000 square feet of food,
to take a back seat in 2003 when
developed a lot of character, was drink and fun.
Vale and his wife Marie had the
purchased by Harold and Ruth Gavagan. Harold was an out- opportunity to purchase Harold’s from Pittsburgh native Dan
going man of Irish descent who had a flair for flamboyant Piacquadio Sr., who decided to retire. His son, Dan
marketing. To attract customers, he staged a trained lion and Piacquadio Jr., remained as a working partner with the Vales.
tiger act, designed to keep the visitors eating and drinking
The Pittsburgh connection is one of the many fun parts of
well into the evening and renting cots to them in an adjacent Harold’s. “Danny has spent the last twenty-six years building
building so they could stay overnight. This is also when the up the Pittsburgh Steelers fan base,” said Vale. “It’s now
name was changed to Harold’s Cave Creek Corral.
recognized as the largest fan base (for the football team) outBy the 1970s, due in great part to the development of a side of Pittsburgh.”
motion picture sound stage and back lot on 160 acres by stunt
In 2009, when the Steelers played the Arizona Cardinals in
man and actor Fred Graham in adjacent Carefree, Harold’s the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida, the owners of Harold’s—
became the favorite watering hole for high-profile show biz never ones to miss a marketing opportunity—set up 28,000
folks. John Wayne, Dick Van Dyke, Alan Arkin, Sally square feet of circus-like tents on the establishment’s five-acre
Kellerman (M*A*S*H), and “Gunsmoke” stars Amanda property with big screen television screens everywhere. The
Blake, who played Miss Kitty, and Ken Curtis who was event attracted about 5,000 visitors to Harold’s, doubling the
resident population of Cave Creek. The Steelers won over the
Festus, were among many celebrity patrons.
Memorabilia from Harold’s storied past and thriving Cardinals in a close one, 27-23. Pittsburgh has won the most
Continued on page 10
ALBA Reporter 9
Harold’s Corral
Contined from page 9
No western-themed establishment is complete
without the naked lady portrait on the wall.
Harold’s Cave Creek Corral...
Super Bowls to date with six championships.
Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies might have been a little bored that Super Bowl Sunday because with that many
people gathering for such a spirited event there wasn’t a
single incident.
There’s hardly a physical element at Harold’s that hasn’t
been changed. Since its founding 78 years ago, the place has
expanded several times through the decades to what is now
11,000 square feet of dining rooms open for breakfast, lunch
and dinner, serving from an extensive menu of steaks, ribs,
seafood and chicken. Then there are the two large bars, a room
of electronic games for kids, even an off-track horse race betting booth. Outside is 3,600 square feet of patio space that’s
heated in the winter and has misters in the summer.
Music runs through the figurative veins of Harold’s Corral,
with live bands Thursday through Sunday nights playing for
customers on what many describe as the best dance floor in
Arizona. For those with brave vocal chords, there’s karaoke,
and dance lessons twice a week. On Wednesday nights, the
place to be is at Harold’s poker tables for Texas Hold‘em,
played not for cash but for points and charity. Spread throughout any given year are band concerts, special promotions, and
celebrations of community-wide events, such as the Cave
Creek Fiesta Days Rodeo in late March.
“We specialize in great food and having fun,” says
Harold’s co-owner, Dan Piacquadio, who has been a part of
the establishment since 1987. “We make everything in house
from scratch, except for our French fries and onion rings. “We
use the freshest ingredients to make our salsas, we get fresh
fish delivered three days a week and hand cut it to order, and
we have the finest steaks, choice and prime beef, and hand cut
that also.”
One of the secrets of Harold’s sustained success begins at
the top, with the trio of hard-working, experienced proprietors
who have well-defined areas of management responsibility.
Piacquadio is in charge of 70 to 100 employees, depending on
the season. “The biggest challenge is in staffing,” he said. “In
the summer employees go on vacations or go somewhere else,
so we have to re-staff and re-train every year. Depending on
the position, we have a two-day to a five-day in-house train-
10 ALBA Reporter
“We have a very diverse
clientel.”
ing period.” This is in addition to employees being required to
have food handlers training and take liquor law courses.
Piacquadio is no stranger to restaurant kitchens, beginning
with making pizzas when he was twelve at his family’s Italian
restaurant in Pittsburgh. So it was a natural and effective fit
for him to oversee the food preparation part of Harold’s. “We
have three chefs, nine line cooks, seven dish washers and two
prep people,” he said. “Bill is our ‘mayor,’ our outside man,”
he added.
Bill Vale is the personification of the gregarious Boston
Irishman, warmly greeting and mixing with customers, possessing the kind of personality that prompts people to affectionately refer to him as the mayor. “We have a very diverse
clientele,” says Vale. “You’ll find a guy worth a billion dollars
sitting next to a guy who’s on food stamps. It really doesn’t
matter, whatever you have you drop at the threshold. You’re
just another friend of Harold’s when you come in here.”
About the diversity of their customers, Piacquadio put it
this way: “If you look at our parking lot, you’ll see horses,
Harleys and Hummers.”
Someone in a three-piece suit asked to describe Harold’s
Cave Creek Corral might simplistically say it’s just a “cowboy
place.” They couldn’t be more wrong. This is no mom and pop
establishment. Unlike chef-centered businesses that manage
by their gut, Harold’s has very structured and sophisticated
operating systems that allow it to manage on facts within an
event-driven environment. This is how new customers are
introduced to Harold’s, such as a longstanding Fourth of July
fireworks show.
What keeps it all running like a well-tuned engine is the
owner-management triad of the past eleven years in a corporate setup rounded out by Bill Vale’s wife. “We’re all partners,
we just have different worries,” Vale said. “Marie worries
about the money, that’s why I like to say that Danny and I both
report to Marie.”
As the chief financial officer, Marie says she has two big
✦✦
✦
...as it was in 1935.
“We specialize in great food and having fun,”
says Dan Piacquadio.
Customer greeter
Sharon Wiles is
one of a hundred
employees who
help make a visit
to Harold’s memorable.
There’s a lot of history on the walls at Harold’s.
concerns that are out of her control but must be prepared for how
they’re handled. One is the Obamacare issue, and the second is a move
to increase the federal minimum wage. “At this particular point we
have decided to wait until it all actually becomes settled and then do
the math,” she said. “Right now there’s just too much uncertainty, and
I think that’s true of all businesses in the country.”
A part of Harold’s business plan is being an integral part of not only
Cave Creek but also the entire Arizona community. “We have worked
very hard to keep Harold’s that fun place and to be true to the history
of what Harold’s is,” said Marie. “We do a lot of charities, we support
libraries, museums, schools, food banks—and people recognize that
and they know that we’re giving back to the community, and that when
we do events, we’re doing them not just for profit, but for the nonprofit organizations, too.”
In the past eleven years under the present ownership, Harold’s has
raised just under three million dollars for Arizona charities, most of
them involving children.
Bill Vale was recently appointed to the board of directors of the
Arizona Licensed Beverage Association. He is enthusiastic about an
expansion of member benefits, such as the insurance company that
ALBA President Bill Weigele is working with to help licensees reduce
their liability insurance premiums. “The strength of numbers could
help us in all areas, whether it be liability insurance or liquor law training or anything else,” he said. “The association is dependent upon the
members’ dues, so it has to expand. There’s a very small percentage of
license-holders who belong to ALBA, and that has to change.”
Dan Piacquadio added, “As restaurant owners, there are things we
don’t have the time to follow. When you work with ALBA, they keep
you up to date on liquor law legislation and represent you in the state
Legislature, which is a big help. They also have information about federal rules and laws. A partnership with ALBA is something all
licensees should have.”
About all the descriptive adjectives and phrases heard about
Harold’s over the years, Bill Vale said, “Our current mayor here
(Vincent Francia) says it best: ‘Sedona has its vortex, Cave Creek has
Harold’s; stick around long enough and you’ll be sucked into it.’
“You give us one visit,” says Vale, “we’ll impress you, you’ll have
fun, and you’ll come back to Harold’s.” v
ALBA Reporter 11
12 ALBA Reporter
Now offering Evening classes at the ABC office.
ALBA Reporter 13
This-N-That
Conflagration Cleverly Cooled With Coors
An 18-wheeler was on a Texas highway when the rear
brakes locked up and caught fire. An off duty Houston
firefighter saw what happened from his car and pulled over
to help the driver of the stopped truck. Firefighter Capt. Craig
Moreau grabbed a fire extinguisher and crawled under the
truck to fight the flames, but it wasn’t enough. When he
learned that the cargo was all Coors Banquet Beer, Moreau
shook and opened one tallboy can of the brew after another
and the fire met its match. A big hand to that Texan who
figured out that beer goes beyond just extinguishing thirst!
Prohibition May Come to an End
You may think that Prohibition ended 81 years ago, but it
didn’t—not in Bridgewater, the “dry” Connecticut bedroom
community of some 1,700 residents. State regulations don’t
allow a town of less than a population of 2,500 to have a
package liquor store. But along come two businessmen who
want to serve liquor in restaurants they plan to open in
Bridgewater. A referendum vote was scheduled for the end of
February 2014 allowing the sale of alcohol in the town, but
was postponed due to a conflict with a state statute. So, for
now, Bridgewater is still not at all high and plenty dry.
ABC/ALBA BENEFITS
ABC was purchased by the Arizona
Licensed Beverage Association, Inc.
(ALBA) in December of 2010. As a
member of ALBA you are entitled to
discounts on your training.
ALBA/ABC would like to be your
trainer. Contact the office for a color
brochure explaining all of our services
and a free statewide Quarterly Training
Schedule, or to register for a regular,
special or in-house training seminar,
call toll-free 1-800-453-7597 or 602285-1396, Mon. - Fri., 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
The ALBA/ABC office is located at:
77 East Columbus Ave., Suite 102
Phoenix, Arizona 85012
Where’s the Most In Vino
Veritas?
Looking for a good trivia
question? Here’s one: In what
sovereign state in the world is the
most wine per capita consumed?
You might say France. You might
say Italy, Spain, Chile or the United
States. You might say any of those.
And you’d be wrong. If you said
the Vatican City State, seat of the
Roman Catholic Church, you got it. Despite its tiny
size—less than one square mile—the approximate 800
residents consume an average of 74 liters of wine per year per
person, according to the Wine Institute. We ain’t lyin’ to you.
After all, in T-N-T there is truth.
Officer of the Law not in the Raw
In the United Kingdom, 27-year-old Paul Harbord had
already tipped a few when he went to a pub with some noisy
friends. Told there would be adult entertainment, Harbord
singled out one woman he thought was a stripper, dancing
around her and flicking a towel in her face. Problem was that
she wasn’t a stripper but a policewoman sent to investigate
the rowdy group. Party boy Paul had lots of time in jail to
learn the difference between a woman with a badge and a
stripper named Madge.
14 ALBA Reporter
For ALBA Members Only!
A Huge
25% Discount
On All Small Wares at Andrews Restaurant
Supply, NW corner of Alma School
& W. University Dr. in Mesa.
Call the ALBA Office for Your Special Coupon.
602-285-1092
E
L
P
M
A
S
Andrews Restaurant Supply
1304 West University Dr., Mesa, AZ 85201
602-244-2403 or 888-888-3312
andrewssupplies.com
Mary Zordan
Buying a Business? Selling a Business?
That’s our Business!
(over
business)
(over 31
25 years
years in
experience)
Specializing in Bars and Restaurants
Associate ALBA Member
JanCo West Business Brokers
(602)978-3313
Isaacson & Moore, P.C.
Van Leer
Insurance Services
Attorneys
Don Isaacson – Norman Moore
Representing ALBA and Liquor Retailers Since 1985
(602) 274-2200
3101 N. Central Avenue – Suite 740
Phoenix, AZ 85012-2638
E-Mail: [email protected]
ARIZONA LIQUOR PROFESSIONALS
•
•
•
•
Bar-Restaurant Packages
Pay as you go Workers Comp- no deposit
Utility-Construction Bonds
Special Events
Dan Mc Cullough
602-550-2965
Chuck Van Leer
480-776-6989
LLC
YES, I want to become an ALBA Member! My annual dues check of $250 is enclosed.
Business Name_________________________________________________________________Owner’s Name________________________________________________________
Liquor License#____________________________________________________________
Phone___________________________________________________________________________Fax ______________________________________________________________
E-Mail Address____________________________________________________________
Mailing Address _____________________________________________City_______________________________State ________________________Zip______________________
Credit Card #__________________________________________ Expiration Date___________________Signature_____________________________________________________
Please make check payable to ALBA
Mail Application & Check to ALBA 77 E. Columbus Ave. #102 - Phoenix, AZ 85012
Questions? Call 602-285-1092 or 800-453-5232
E-Mail: [email protected] Fax: 602-285-1258 Web Site: www.albainc.org
Pay by Visa, MasterCard, DiscoverCard or
American Express
Remember: Dues are Tax Deductible.
ALBA Reporter 15
ALBA
77 E. Columbus Ave. #102
Phoenix, AZ 85012
PRESORT STD
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PHOENIX, AZ
PERMIT NO. 3449
Welcome New ALBA Members
Ajax Liquors
Phoenix
Big B’s
Phoenix
Black Bear Diner #40
Lake Havasu City
Buffalo Wild Wings
Grill & Bar
Prescott Valley
Bullocks Country Attitudes
Phoenix
Casa Serrano of Lake Havasu
Mexican Restaurant
Lake Havasu City
Cash Inn County
Phoenix
Charros Grill
El Mirage
ALBA
MEMBER BENEFITS
Cindy’s Mini Market
Surprise
Downside Risk
Restaurant & Bar
Scottsdale
El Encanto Mexican Cafe
Cave Creek
Eldorado Bar and Grill
Scottsdale
Farmers Market
Superior
Flanny’s Bar & Grill
Tempe
Flickas Baja Cantina
Scottsdale
Golden Corral
Lake Havasu City
Grill @ Laughlin Ranch
Bullhead City
Havana Cafe
Phoenix
Las Barrancas Golf Course
Yuma
Lee Lee Supermart
Tucson
Max Sports Grille
Scottsdale
Mudshark Pizza & Pasta
Lake Havasu City
Murphy’s Law
Irish Pub & Ale House
Chandler
Over Easy/18 Degrees
Scottsdale
OX Sportsbar
Phoenix
Red Barn Trading Post
Sanders
★ BMI and SESAC Music Licensing Discount
★ CopperPoint Compensation Cash Dividends.
★ Ongoing Programs to Guard Against Unfair Liquor Legislation.
★ Informative Quarterly Newsletter.
★ The full resources of a strong, established, respected
trade association.
★ "A-Team" visitations anywhere in the state to personally help
licensees with special concerns and problems.
Refuge Golf and Country Club
Lake Havasu City
Rex’s Saloon
Buckeye
Stadium Club
Thatcher
Tumbleweed Café & Lounge
Duncan
Vintage Bar & Grill
Tempe
Waylon’s Water World
Yuma
Z-Fun Factory
Yuma
Ziegler’s New York Pizza Dept.
Phoenix
Check out ALBA’s
redesigned web site
(www.ALBAINC.org)