CAPE MAY – The ownership principals of The Mad Batter have purchased the Decatur Street property that housed The Merion Inn for decades. Having lost their lease, The Merion Inn is permanently closed at the Decatur Street location.
Cape May City Council approved a place-to-place liquor license transfer March 15 that will allow The Mad Batter to locate a proposed restaurant at the Decatur Street property, while making use of the Batter’s existing liquor license. The liquor license that served the Merion Inn now becomes a pocket license – a liquor license without a specific location.
Principals of The Mad Batter purchased the 106 Decatur St. location from the property’s owner and did not purchase the business assets of The Merion Inn. The Merion Inn brand and liquor license were not part of the transaction.
An attorney for The Mad Batter told the council of plans to locate a new restaurant at the Decatur Street site. The two establishments would be adjacent to each other through the rear of each property, a fact that is essential for the legal expansion of a single liquor license to both businesses.
Since the pocket license and The Merion Inn brand were not part of the property sale, The Merion Inn’s ownership is free to relocate the brand and/or the liquor license. Ultimately, any transfer of the liquor license to a new location will require council approval.
