The Grid owner can now offer beer on-site, but he claims the county has a double standard

Daniel Demeter has been trying to offer beer and wine on-site in his West Pensacola arcade bar, The Grid, since first opening in 2022 on 2414 N. Pace Blvd. The hangout was intended to provide a taste of carefree, '70s inspired nostalgia when video games were a leisurely pastime in bars.

However, when his business was determined to be within 1,000 feet of a childcare center or church, the county would not grant him his beer and wine license. Demeter spent month fighting, refusing to believe it was game-over.

This February, Demeter finally received the news he had been waiting for — that he could apply for his license, which he was ultimately approved for.

“Man, it’s like the best feeling in the world,” Demeter said. “Going through a year’s worth of headache and stress —unnecessary stress and headache — and then finally having this done and being right … It was the biggest relief I’ve ever experienced,” Demeter said.

The Grid owner fights for license: The Grid 'bar-cade' in Pensacola stopped from opening bar. How the owner's fighting back.

Escambia County staff pushes back: The Grid loses fight with Escambia County over on-premise alcohol consumption. For now.

Why did the ordinance stand in The Grids way?

Until Demeter received the OK from the county to apply for his on-site consumption license, he operated under a package store format. Customers could purchase a can of beer at the counter, but they couldn’t sit down and drink it.

Demeter said he sought the on-site consumption license with the intention of creating a fun neighborhood hangout in an area lacking entertainment. Not everyone agreed with him.

In a conditional use hearing, he was met with pushback that the license would not contribute to the goals of the area and was denied. Officials also noted that he was too close to a childcare center.

Demeter disputed the county's route from his arcade to the childcare center, claiming that the computerized measurement system was not making use of the sidewalks that were the best route for pedestrian travel.

In a Board of Adjustment meeting, the board voted 3-2 to side with county staff, claiming that the county’s measurement would stand.

“I’m just trying to pursue business in an area that doesn’t have any entertainment at all,” Demeter said.

Demeter knew he was not the first to have his business effected by the ordinance, but he was surprised to learn how inconsistently cases are handled.

How The Grid got started: The Grid Arcade Bar debuts in west Pensacola this month, restoring over 30 nostalgic games

Rep. Alex Andrade wins ordinance battle for Bubba's 33

Escambia's Planning and Zoning Division Manager Andrew D. Holmer said the ordinance has been around since he started his career with the county in 1999. However, in 2011, the measurement system changed from a radius to the current method, which focuses on walkable routes versus a straight-shot line from place to place.

The new method created more flexibility for business owners — but also blurred the lines for Escambia County staff, especially in cases where there are less than a 100 feet can dictate if a business can obtain a license.

There was a similar dilemma for sports bar Bubba’s 33, which opened on Davis Highway in the fall of 2021.

Bubba’s 33 was also found to be out of compliance with the ordinance initially because of its close proximity to the Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ about 500 feet away.

However, with the help of Rep. Alex Andrade, R-Pensacola, who was working as Bubba 33’s attorney at the time of the challenge, Bubba’s was able to get the county to reconsider the distance by looping the route around the building to reach 1,080.75 feet. Andrade said the county’s measurement did not take into consideration some of the obstacles a pedestrian would cross, such as heavy bushes and foliage.

“If that’s actually your method of measuring distance, why did you draw a line through bushes? I told them, ‘Shouldn’t you be tracking a sidewalk? Shouldn’t you be tracking the actual walking path that the county has designated for pedestrians to use to get there?'” Andrade said.

After Andrade sent a Google Maps screenshot to the county of his proposed route, the county agreed without dispute.

Demeter said if he could not get the same leniency as Andrade for his route, building an extra sidewalk could be his saving grace.

Demeter gets signed and sealed outside survey

When Demeter first proposed a new route with an added sidewalk, he was told by Escambia Senior Planner Terry Williams that his efforts would ultimately be futile in the county’s eyes.

“Keep in mind these items (railings and concrete path) will not alter the existing measurements nor distances completed by the county,” Williams told Demeter in an email.

Even so, Demeter hired KJM Land Surveying to create a survey showing “the shortest route of ordinary pedestrian travel” for the county with his proposed sidewalk. With two proposed routes, both surpassed the 1,000-foot requirement.

After receiving the survey, the county had a change of heart.

“He provided a signed and sealed survey that said he met the distance requirements. It’s that easy. We’re not going to dispute that it was signed and sealed,” Holmer said. “It didn’t have to be (a long process). But in the end, it was resolved.”

Demeter said between hearings, legal counsel, construction and other expenses, he estimates he spent between $10,000 and $15,000 on the issue. That's not including potential lost revenue from alcohol sales if the license had been approved from the start.

What’s next for The Grid?

Now, The Grid's gamers can order up a local beer on tap. Demeter also keeps champagne on hand for specialty drinks The Grid can serve, like mimosas. However, he is not done growing the business just yet.

“I plan on expanding it out, the whole arcade, to about 4,000 square feet and have it really tricked out. Open floor plan design, seating and pool tables, dart boards and stuff like that,” Demeter said.

Since the process was a long journey, with thousands of dollars spent to get to this moment, he hopes the county will lighten the load of new business owners in the future by not making the process so taxing.

“Escambia County needs some future development with the people on the board in order to make it more business-friendly in this county,” Demeter said.

More information can be found on The Grid Arcade Pensacola Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: The Grid Arcade Bar in Pensacola now able to serve beer, wine on site