Kawa Sushi application postponed; board asks for experienced resident agent and amended filing

The Howard County Alcohol Beverage Hearing Board postponed consideration of a new Class B license for Kawa Sushi Ace at 8221 Gateway Overlook Drive and asked applicants to return with an amended application naming a resident agent who has prior experience selling alcohol and who is alcohol-awareness certified.

Applicant Xiaoyi (Xiaoyi Zheng) and the interpreter described current operations and estimated alcohol sales at about "30%" of revenue. Board members questioned readiness: whether managers were certified, the carding policy, acceptable IDs, and whether applicants understood record-keeping and wholesaler-purchasing rules. Several commissioners said the applicants appeared underprepared and that undisclosed background items identified by the board’s investigator raised concerns.

Rather than deny the application outright, commissioners moved to postpone and gave clear parameters for return: submit an amended application naming a resident agent with prior alcohol-selling experience and certification; the board also recommended, non-mandatorily, that applicants retain an attorney or consultant to help prepare future hearings. The board set no final hearing date until it receives the amended paperwork.