There has been a swirl of activity around the commercial space at 322 Main St., otherwise known as the Mann on Main, but there is nothing yet to show for it.
One potential tenant in the mixed-use project in Little Rock wanted to put in a grocery store - and also sell liquor along with beans and bread.
That would have added a mixer, so to speak, to the Mann, whose 19 loft apartments are leased and whose office space has been taken by three state agencies.
Meantime, the brick colonnade is taking shape at what will be Bruno’s Little Italy next door and will open in August and complete the Mann - assuming the commercial space is taken before then.
Generally speaking, selling liquor out of a grocery store is not allowable under Arkansas law.
But there are a few permits in the state that allow liquor sales from groceries and thelike, said Michael Langley, director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control agency.
For example, there is a Walgreens in West Memphis that has a liquor license, Langley said.
The permit the investor was wanting to use at the Mann had previously been issued to the old News Mart at 304 Main St., said John Martin, commercial agent for Moses Tucker Real Estate.
Martin said that someone had acquired that license, which was later transferred to someone else. He said he thinks the license holder has plans for the permit - someplace.
Langley, meanwhile, did not immediately return a follow-up phone call seeking the identity of who inquired about the unusual license.
The 4,700-squarefoot commercial space at 322 Main is offered in 1,100-square-foot increments by Moses Tucker.
As recently as last week, the availability sign had a diagonal “leased” banner on it. A few days later, the banner was gone.
The person who approached Langley about the permit decided not to pursue the plan, even though it would have been legal, Langley said.
The permit includes a waiver that would allow the store within 1,000 feet of a school, in this case eStem Public Charter Schools on Third Street.
Still, Langley said, the board probably would not look favorably on the license.
“I think they chose not to go for it because of the likelihood that it would not be approved by the ABC [board],” Langley said.
Meantime, four men were peering into the space Friday morning and contemplating if it might be a good fit for a restaurant.
Martin said that he had already met with the group led by Richard R. Jensen, president and chief executive of BRS Consulting of Little Rock.
On Thursday, a cement truck rumbled slowly past another gathering across the street at 315 Main, underscoring the topic of that day - construction.
Work had begun on the latest loft apartments on Little Rock’s historical center of business that had become a thing of the past.
Officialdom and developer Scott Reed were spreading the thanks around for making the K Lofts happen in the former Blass Department Store warehouse.
The first two floors - one below street level - are the Montego Cafe and nightclub. Reed, who is landlord, has applied with the city for private status for the club.
But that merely means that it would be able to sell mixed drinks till 2 a.m. on Sundays, just as it does the other six days a week, said Montego Cafe owner Brad McCray.
Anecdotal evidence is that Montego is drawing big crowds at night, in contrastto Porter’s Jazz Club, which lasted a year and never could pay its bills.
The lofts will earn their name. They’ll be lofty. Starting at the second floor, the ceilings will be 17 feet high, then 15 feet on the third, 14 at the fourth and 13 at the fifth.
The average size will be700 square feet and all will have one bedroom. Reed says that preleasing will start in September, at which time prices will be set.
If you have a tip, call Jack Weatherly at (501) 378-3518 or e-mail him at
Business, Pages 68 on 07/28/2013