Pittsboro and Chatham County pass liquor by the drink. What happens now?

Chatham County has passed liquor by the drink. So now what happens? Pretty much nothing, at least in the short term. It is true that some establishments in the county will start to serve mixed drinks. This will put those restaurants on an even keel with restaurants in neighboring counties. But I don’t think we will see any major increases in patronage or in new establishments being opened.

Why? Because most businesses still look at demographics and population when choosing to open a new site. Right now, Chatham County does not have the rooftop count to draw most of the major chains. Today that is. There is still a lot of planned development in the County and especially around Pittsboro, in spite of the economy and increased restrictions due to new ordinances. This is especially true for the Southeastern part of Chatham and Pittsboro, where the developers of Preston Development in Cary have amassed thousands of acres around Pittsboro. This is in anticipation of opening a new multi-use development that will supposedly feature both commercial and residential development the likes that have not been seen in the area for quite some time.

So what does the liquor by the drink passing mean to existing and new residents of Pittsboro and Chatham County? In the short term it means you may be able to walk into your favorite restaurant and enjoy a mixed drink with your meal. In the long term, it may mean that as growth and development return to the County we may see more major restaurant and hotel chains considering a location here. But again, this is not likely to happen overnight as Chatham County still has a way to go in order to build the rooftops up to attract the attention of these major chains.

Another important consideration is to understand where growth and development in the county are likely to occur. If you or your clients want convenience and don’t mind a little traffic in the future, you may want to know where key commercial points are likely to be and where the closest residential will be. On the other hand, if you enjoy the rural character that is Chatham County today, you may want to avoid those areas for both you and your clients. Studying development plans at the county and town planning departments will give you a good idea where all this is going to take place.