Is California the Next New Orleans?
California’s New Entertainment Zone Laws Could Be a Boon to Small Businesses
California does a fine job of projecting an image of ostentatious glamor or free-spirited, unpretentious fun, but whichever dream you went to California to seek, be it the golden dream or the earthtone dream, you will almost certainly be disappointed when you arrive. Everything is prohibitively expensive. Whether your goal is to live large or to live off the land, such that material possessions are the farthest thing from your mind, you are in for an unpleasant surprise.
Operating a business is more expensive than you expected it to be, no matter where you set up shop, but the effect is especially pronounced in California. Any break that the law can give businesses is a welcome relief since small business owners must take responsibility not only for business taxes but also for employee benefits. This is a significant burden in every state, but especially in California, which has some of the highest wages and strongest worker protections anywhere in the United States. A law that will go into effect in 2025 may bring a windfall for California business owners since it will make it easier for them to attract customers. If you need advice about getting started in the food and beverage industry in California in 2025, contact a California business law attorney.
Is California the Next New Orleans?
Everybody loves food, and even in 420-friendly California, alcohol is still a lot of people’s drug of choice, but in the age of financial long COVID, you have to do something special to make it worth people’s while to go to a restaurant or bar. Sure, it is fun to socialize at a bar, but especially in California, where the weather is usually suitable for going outdoors, block parties and outdoor festivals are more fun because you can walk around and enjoy the fresh air while you also enjoy your beer buzz.
Except for a few local ordinances in the San Francisco Bay area, it used to be against the law in California to walk around with an open container of an alcoholic beverage. For outdoor festivals, organizers and drink vendors needed to apply on a case-by-case basis for permission to contribute to public drunkenness. In 2025, a new law aims to make it easier for restaurants and bars to stay in business by creating environments for outdoor socializing. Starting in 2025, local governments will be able to designate certain areas as “entertainment zones” where people can possess open containers of alcoholic beverages instead of having to finish drinking at the bar and then walk around. The intent is for the new law to give a boost to restaurants, bars, music venues, and other businesses that operate in or near the designated entertainment zone.
Contact SNR Law Group About Opening a Business
A business law attorney can help you establish a business in or near a newly designated entertainment zone. Contact SNR Law Group in Tustin, California, to discuss your case.
Sources