Carson City Liquor Hearings Officer Meeting - June 23, 2026
Carson City Liquor Hearings Officer Meeting - June 23, 2026
The meeting was called to order at 10:30 a.m. on June 23, 2026, in the Community Development Conference Room A at 108 East Proctor Street, Carson City. The hearings officer presided over two liquor license applications. The sheriff's office provided comments on alcohol compliance and server training. The hearings officer also warned all applicants about fraudulent invoice scams targeting new licensees.
Item 4A: Package Liquor License for Smoke City and V LP
- Applicant: Cassandra Lopez, liquor manager for Smoke City and V LP, located at 2311 North Carson Street, Carson City, Nevada 89706. Lopez stated the smoke shop has been in business for about two years and that customers have frequently requested package liquor. The sheriff's office emphasized compliance checks and random tests using minor decoys. They recommended server training held on the second Tuesday of each month at the Sheriff's Office. No public comments were received. The hearings officer approved the application subject to conditions in the staff report.
Item 4B: Dining Room with Hard Liquor License for Fox Brewing and Pub LLC
- Applicant: James Michael Phalan (also referred to as Jim), liquor manager for Fox Brewing and Pub LLC, doing business as Fox and Fire Pizzeria and Tap Room, located at 2010 East William Street, Carson City, Nevada 89701. Phalan asked about the availability of online server training; staff noted that any Nevada state-approved server training is acceptable but recommended the local sheriff's training. The hearings officer expressed excitement about the business, which merges a pizzeria and a taproom. Phalan stated he is returning to Carson City from Mexico on July 13th. No public comments were made. The license was approved subject to conditions in the staff report.
Fraud Warning
- The hearings officer warned applicants about fraudulent emails or invoices requesting wire payments for fees after meetings. Applicants were advised to contact staff directly if they receive suspicious communications.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Package liquor license (Liquor 010409-2026) for Smoke City and V LP with Cassandra Lopez as liquor manager.
- Approved: Dining room with hard liquor license (Liquor 010518-2026) for Fox Brewing and Pub LLC dba Fox and Fire Pizzeria and Tap Room with James Michael Phalan as liquor manager.
- Both approvals are subject to conditions in the respective staff reports. No dissenting votes or further actions were recorded.
Meeting Transcript
Today is June 23rd, 2026. It's 1030 a.m. We are in the community development conference room A at 108 East Proctor Street in Carson City, and I am calling the liquor hearings officer meeting to order. Natalie, are there any modifications to the agenda? There are no modifications. Thank you. Is there any public comment? See the public comment on the action items. Item 4A for possible action. Discussion and possible action regarding an application for a package liquor license, liquor 010409-2026 with Cassandra Lopez as the liquor manager for Smoke City and V LP, located at 2311 North Carson Street in Carson City, Nevada 89706. Natalie, were there any additions or modifications to the staff report? There are no additions to the staff report. Okay, is Cassandra Lopez present? Yes. Okay. And did you have a chance to review the staff report? Yes. Did you have any questions or concerns? I do not. Okay. And you've been in business about two years at the smoke shop? Yeah. How's it going? It's going good. Not too bad. Is that the first business you've ever opened? Yeah, first business ever. So you're an entrepreneur. Yeah, we're trying to we're we started slowly, you know. But people have volunteered and it's okay? Yeah, not too bad. And do your customers want package liquor? They do, yeah. A lot of a lot of um customers have asked if we would ever sell liquor. Um and we didn't really look into it at first, just because we were starting, but a lot of people do request it. So okay, there you go. Yeah. Okay, so um, one thing I'm going to announce both you and I understand Jim Fail is on the phone, so this is for you as well, Jim. Um, I'm here. Yeah. What happens all too frequently, and I'm not happy about it, but whatever, I can't control it, is after a meeting like this, because we've published the agenda, people will reach out to you with invoices. They're fraudulent. So if anyone emails you with a fraud with an email, whatever fees you have to pay, Natalie's gonna talk to you about that. If you suddenly get an email and you're like, I think this came from Natalie, it's telling you to wire funds or something, do not do it. Just call Natalie. We tried to redact a lot of your information to protect you from that happening, but I just wanted to put it out there because I feel like at our last liquor hearing, um, some of our businesses were contacted via email and asked to buy our funds. So that is fraudulent, and please please don't call for it. Um is there any public comment on this application? Hearing then, I'm gonna ask the sheriff's office to make some comments. Yes.
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