The Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners, which enforces alcohol laws in the county, denied a request Tuesday to pause the 90-day suspension of the liquor license for Cornerstone Grill & Loft.
The College Park mainstay at 7325 Baltimore Ave. has been a popular gathering spot for University of Maryland students and alumni since 1997, in its current iteration, to catch games and play pool.
The board’s suspension of Cornerstone’s alcohol license will take effect Friday. Officials found the establishment had violated a regulation that the bar constituted a “danger to the peace and safety of the neighborhood,” according to meeting notes.
The findings were based on video evidence and testimony from four University of Maryland police officers, according to a statement sent this week by board director Terence Sheppard.
Sheppard addressed the dozens of attendees of Tuesday’s virtual hearing that he believed were there because of Cornerstone.
“We respect the public’s interest in this matter and recognize that members of the community may have strong feelings about the board’s decision,” Sheppard said during the session. “However, the period for public testimony on this matter has concluded.”
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Cornerstone’s attorney requested on Oct. 19 to stay the board’s suspension and a $7,500 fine, Sheppard said at the hearing.
“The board believes we have fiduciary responsibility to the community,” commissioner Tammie Norman said at the hearing as she made a motion to deny Cornerstone’s request to pause the suspension.
The board unanimously decided to deny Cornerstone’s request.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and employees have always been priorities at Cornerstone,” a statement posted Tuesday afternoon to the business’s Instagram says. “We take our responsibilities as a licensed establishment seriously and remain committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment.”
“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 bar’s management sought the College Park City Council’s support this month at a public meeting, according to The Diamondback, the University of Maryland’s student newspaper. They claimed that shutting down the bar for 90 days would result in losing all 70 of its employees.
“Our staff is the heart of Cornerstone,” the Instagram post says. “We remain committed to supporting our team and keeping them informed throughout this process.”
Cornerstone’s operators and its attorney did not immediately respond to requests for further comment.
Cornerstone, also known to longtime residents and alumni as Rendezvous Inn or “The Vous,” has weathered challenges before. During the coronavirus pandemic, the owners raised $84,039 from community members to stay in business.
“You’ve shared drinks and laughs, met your best friends, sung your heart out, danced on the bar, flirted with your crush, celebrated your birthdays, rooted for your team and created loads of NSFW memories at this bar,” wrote owners Mark and Greg Srour on the GoFundMe page.
The business said Tuesday on social media that it was still evaluating next steps for scheduled events and that there are still ongoing discussions with its legal team.
“We want to be clear: Cornerstone is not permanently closing, and we are actively pursuing all available legal options to challenge this decision,” the post says.
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