Liquor Commissioners Rule Govan's Tavern License Invalid
The license was ruled dead because it had been inactive for too long.
The Board of Liquor License Commissioners has ruled the liquor license for Govan’s Old Trail Bar and Restaurant is invalid because of inactivity.
The license cannot be used at the restaurant or transferred to another location following the ruling.
“The license has had a stake driven through its heart,” Councilman Bill Henry said.
However, the liquor board fell short of ruling in the abstract whether it is possible another liquor license could be brought into the building, located at 5723 York Road.
Henry said he’s confident another license would not be awarded to the location because it’s within 300 feet of Govans Elementary School.
David Taylor
7:52 pm on Friday, April 6, 2012
(From Harry E. Fields obit...)
Harry E. Fields was born in Baltimore, the son of John Fields, a roofer, and was raised on McCabe Avenue. His father became a full-time bootlegger and ran a speakeasy after a fall ended his roofing career. After the end of Prohibition in 1933, the elder Mr. Fields established Fields Old Trail Tavern in the 5700 block of York Road the next year.
That was nearly 80 years at that location...
Karen
4:23 pm on Monday, April 9, 2012
FYI folks, the Fields sold the place 3 years ago to some unfortunate guys from Nepal who got very bad advice from a business consultant who told them they could open a liquor store in the old Maenner's market -- all the while telling the neighbors that they would not open a liquor store. They paid top dollar to the Fields for the property and then the whole plan fell apart when they hit reality: the property is not zoned for a liquor store. Their business plan could not work without the big money generator of a liquor store. They were foreclosed on and left the liquor license to die. Too bad for them. But York Road does not need anymore liquor stores -- there are too many already.
steve brown
2:16 am on Saturday, September 15, 2012
I was born on McCabe avenue and grew up in Govans. Field's Old Trail was a favorite haunt of my grandfather, Buck Brown. Our family knew "Fieldsie" and I knew his sons Johnnie and Billie, and his daughter Veronica ( "Rockie") as well. In the mix were Greg Buckley, the Murphey boys, Mike, Billy, and Skull, and the McKenna's and I could go on. I was younger than most who I have named, but have a very good memory of Govens in the late fifties and early sixties. I should write a book.