Shopping at Fairfax Corner just got an unconventional upgrade. The center’s Cocktails To-Go program lets customers bring alcoholic drinks outside of the participating restaurants: California Pizza Kitchen, Uncle Julio’s, P.F. Chang’s, and Crafthouse.
You can take a beverage into most stores and around The Plaza, where Fairfax Corner holds events throughout the year. The drink must be in the disposable cup originally served by the restaurant. You can’t bring a drink into the movie theater, nonparticipating restaurants, or stores with a “No Alcohol Permitted Inside” sign posted. Patrons must be 21 and drinks must be purchased at one of the participating restaurants — no outside alcohol is allowed.
The Cocktails To-Go program falls under Virginia Senate Bill 1391. The law created an ABC license that allows for alcohol consumption outside of participating restaurants at “commercial lifestyle centers.” The law went into effect on July 1, 2017. Peterson Companies, which owns Fairfax Corner, helped create and pass it. Fairfax Corner is the first Virginia commercial lifestyle center to implement it.
The law says commercial lifestyle centers must be at least 25 acres and have a minimum of 100,000 square feet of retail with a mix of national chain stores, dining, and entertainment. Lifestyle centers must also be pedestrian friendly and have sufficient security for public alcohol consumption.
The legislation was designed to attract patrons to developments like Fairfax Corner for extended periods of time. By not limiting alcohol consumption to the confines of a restaurant, customers may spend more time exploring the center’s retail and common areas.
The law is relatively new to Virginia but some other states and cities allow public alcohol consumption, such as New Orleans, the Historic District of Savannah, Georgia, and designated entertainment districts in Alabama.
In public areas of Virginia that are not commercial lifestyle centers, public alcohol consumption can still be classified as a misdemeanor, with some exceptions. Maryland and Washington, DC, also prohibit public alcohol consumption.
Feature image courtesy Fairfax Corner
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