Group Therapy and Saloon Battle for Liquor Licenses Amid Neighborhood Protests

The South Carolina Department of Revenue has conditionally denied the liquor license renewal requests for two long-standing establishments in Columbia’s Five Points—Group Therapy and Saloon. The decision follows protests from nearby residents in the Wales Garden neighborhood, which borders the popular nightlife area.

Coley Frank Adams, a resident of Wales Garden, initially filed the protests, with S.C. State Senator Dick Harpootlian representing the opposition. On the other side, attorneys Bakari Sellers and John Alphin of the Strom Law Firm are representing the bars.

The dispute will be heard by the South Carolina Administrative Law Court, though no hearing date has been set. Until a final decision is made, both Group Therapy and Saloon are permitted to continue operating and serving alcohol.

The core issue revolves around South Carolina law, which requires businesses with liquor licenses to primarily serve meals. Harpootlian argues that neither establishment meets this requirement. “The key question is whether they comply with the South Carolina Constitution, which mandates that their primary business must be the service of meals,” Harpootlian stated. “I want to address this head-on.”

Sellers, defending Group Therapy, expressed confidence in the bar’s future, stating, “Group Therapy will be around for a long time. I’ll ensure that it stays open so even Dick Harpootlian’s grandchildren can enjoy it as much as he once did.”