Howard County Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board – October 13, 2026

The Howard County Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board met in a hybrid public hearing noticed for 6:30 p.m. on October 13, 2026, in the Banneker Room at 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD, and via WebEx. The board approved the prior meeting minutes, then heard and unanimously approved two license matters: a transfer of the Class D license for Judge's Bench and a new Class B license for Spice N Curry.

Consent Calendar

• The board unanimously approved the September 29, 2026 meeting minutes.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the general public offered comments. The following testimony was given by applicants and their counsel.

Judge's Bench Class D License Transfer

• The first application was a transfer of a Class D beer, wine, and liquor 7-day on/off sale license, plus RBWC, from Em-Ja, LLC t/a Judge's Bench, in the names of Jane Johnson and Michael Johnson, to SK Industries, LLC t/a Judge's Bench, in the name of Shraban Khanal, for a 2,600 sq. ft. tavern with a 505 sq. ft. patio at 8385 Main Street, Ellicott City, MD.
• Counsel noted that the tavern has operated since 1978 and has been owned by the Johnsons since 2007. An asset purchase agreement dated September 1, 2026 was in place, with closing anticipated on or before December 1, 2026.
• Counsel corrected two application details: the application witnesses certified that Mr. Khanal was a Howard County resident, but he is a Baltimore County resident; and the application listed Jane Johnson as the real-property owner, although her entity MJ LLC owns the property.
• Mr. Khanal testified that he is the sole owner of SK Industries, has never held a liquor license or been convicted of a criminal offense, completed Responsible Alcohol Service training on August 27, 2026, was fingerprinted, and obtained a bulk transfer permit on September 3, 2026.
• He stated the operating hours are Monday–Friday 4 p.m.–2 a.m., Saturday 2 p.m.–2 a.m., and Sunday 1 p.m.–2 a.m. He plans to continue working remotely at the tavern from 4 p.m. to close, keep existing staff, and estimated that liquor has represented over 80 percent of sales.
• Under board questioning, Mr. Khanal said Jane Johnson would train him during a transition period of about three weeks and remain available afterward. He also discussed buying only from state-approved vendors and his understanding of inventory and inspection requirements. He had not yet discussed the RBWC refillable-wine-container feature with the seller.

Spice N Curry New Class B License

• The second application was for a new Class B beer, wine, and liquor 7-day on/off sale license for Everest Spice, LLC t/a Spice N Curry, in the name of Madhav Sharma, for a 1,590 sq. ft. restaurant at 6590 Old Waterloo Road, Suite 3, Elkridge, MD.
• Mr. Sharma testified that he owns and operates the Indian restaurant, which opened in 2023, has 11 tables seating 45 customers, and serves sit-down meals. He stated hours as Monday–Friday 11 a.m.–9 p.m. and Friday–Sunday 11 a.m.–9:30 p.m.
• He said customers requested alcohol with meals and that the primary focus will remain food service. He projected approximately 70 percent of revenue from food and 30 percent from beverages, including alcohol.
• He stated the restaurant has about six employees, with two people, including himself, holding valid alcohol-awareness and food-safety certifications. All employees serving alcohol will receive training, and the restaurant will check identification and refuse service to anyone under 21 or without valid ID.
• Board questions covered purchasing from certified vendors, record retention for inventory and employee records, and the floor plan. Mr. Sharma said there is currently no separate manager and that he works full-time in daily operations.

Discussion Items

• In the first matter, board members noted that Mr. Khanal faces a learning curve because he is coming from a corporate fund-accounting background, but they found that he had basic knowledge, relevant experience from his family's restaurant, a transition plan with the current owners, and a plan to retain existing staff.
• In the second matter, board members described the restaurant as a small, low-risk Class B operation with earlier closing hours. They recommended that Mr. Sharma pursue community involvement and consider adding a second manager who could run the restaurant if he is unavailable.

Key Outcomes

• The board voted unanimously (4–0) to approve the transfer of the Class D license plus RBWC to SK Industries, LLC t/a Judge's Bench in the name of Shraban Khanal. Mr. Khanal waived the right to appeal.
• The board voted unanimously (4–0) to grant the new Class B license to Everest Spice, LLC t/a Spice N Curry in the name of Madhav Sharma. Mr. Sharma waived the right to appeal.
• The board approved the September 29, 2026 minutes as part of the consent calendar.