Owner of Mike’s Side Pocket surrenders liquor license

Posted on by Bill Rhodes

Photo of Mike’s Side Pocket owner Betty King Cook speaking with police officers last night shortly after the knife attack which killed three. Photo By Zen Sutherland

This afternoon the owner of Mike’s Side Pocket, Betty King Cook, surrendered her liquor license to state authorities. According to D.J. Hales, supervisor of NC State Alcohol Law Enforcement here in Asheville, many times when serious incidents happen permittees surrender their license.

This leaves the future of the Haywood Road bar in question for the foreseeable future. Over the years there have been a number of people who had permits at 375 Haywood Road, the state Alcohol Beverage Control Commission shows five on their website which has been updated with today’s information.

A spokesperson for the state ABC Commission, says in an email “While businesses do surrender permits for a variety of reasons, it is not necessarily customary for businesses to turn in ABC permits after a violent incident. Ms. Betty King Cook applied for permits April 7, 2010.  Permanent permits were granted on November 21, 2011. There are no complaints or violation reports in the file.”

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