Retail and Club Licenses
Club and Retail License, 1937.
Description: Under Beverage License Law No. 91 dated May 3, 1933 until 1937 each county was required to issue and maintain all beverage licenses within their jurisdiction. Usually this function was the responsibility of the County Treasurer's Office until the PA Liquor Control Board was established in 1937. Club and retail Licenses fell under this Beverage License Law only for the year of 1937. The Archives has the original applications for the licenses. Club Licenses were issued to social groups within the county and Retail Licenses were issued to restaurants and other establishments where meals and drinks were to be sold by a retailer to consumers.
Content: Organized alphabetically by the township or borough where located, these records include two main papers: the Bond and the Application for the permit. The Bond will include the name of the person applying for the license and their signature, the type of license that is being applied for, the year the license is for, and the name and location of the bonding company complete with the company's name, address and signatures and seals of authorities of that company. The Application portion will include the date, the name of the applicant, place of birth of the applicant or naturalization status, type of license, location of establishment, name of the establishment, description of the lot and building, type of merchandise to be sold, and how long business has been conducted at the establishment. The application will also include questions pertaining to retail or restaurant mercantile licenses: whether meals will be served, how many per day, etc. A description of the inside of the building will also include the number of counters and their length in feet, number of tables, chairs, and inquiries of equipment, numbers of refrigerators and stoves. The names, addresses and occupations of the electors who support the application will follow. The signature of the applicant and the signature and seal of a Notary Public will conclude this application. If the application is for a Club License, a roster of the members may also be included.
