Cornerstone Grill and Loft in College Park, Maryland
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - A popular bar in the University of Maryland, College Park community is asking for a pause on a 90-day liquor license suspension ahead of the Halloween weekend.
What we know:
The three-month suspension is scheduled to take effect on Friday, Oct. 30. The board also ordered the establishment to pay a $7,500 fine.
Cornerstone Grill and Loft is asking the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners to allow the business time to appeal the decision.
The board issued the penalties after an alleged code violation in which the business was accused of endangering the peace and safety of the neighborhood. The board's decision was based on video evidence and testimony provided by University of Maryland (UMD) police.
Students react
What they're saying:
The timing of the license suspension has raised concerns among local patrons and college students ahead of upcoming Halloween festivities.
"It's the cornerstone of College Park, it's literally in the name," said UMD student Kara Mitchell. "It is the most important bar and closing for Hallo-weekend? It's not gonna be open on Halloween? Where are people going to go? This is putting college students out on the streets. We're not gonna have anywhere to go. It really is a loss for the community."
"I think, whatever is going on with the football team and the coach leaving, and midterm stress, like we need a good bar to go to, and they're taking that away from us," Mitchell added.
Next steps and scheduled events
Cornerstone first opened in 1997 and has served the UMD College Park community for nearly three decades. Management confirmed they intend to fight the board’s ruling and clarified that the shutdown is not permanent.
"Cornerstone is not permanently closing, and we are actively pursuing all available legal options to challenge this decision," the bar said in a statement. "While we respectfully disagree with aspects of the proceedings and the resulting decision, we believe the appropriate place to address those disagreements is through the legal process."
The suspension also creates uncertainty around scheduled events, including an appearance by DJ Pauly D planned for November 5.
Customers who purchased tickets or reserved private events are advised to retain their confirmations and monitor the bar's social media channels for further updates.
"We recognize the financial commitments and planning involved, and we take those obligations seriously," bar management stated. "We are actively evaluating how the current situation may affect these events and are working to obtain the clarity necessary to communicate accurate information to everyone involved."
This is not the first time Cornerstone has faced operational challenges. In 2020, as the bar navigated COVID-19 restrictions and declining revenue, the College Park community rallied to raise over $25,000 in under 24 hours to keep the long-time college town hot spot open.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Prince George's County Board of License Commissioners, Cornerstone Grill and Loft and original FOX 5 DC reporting.