Oshkosh council denies beer-liquor license for Cheese and Cheers, cites parcel and gambling concerns

The Oshkosh Common Council on June 29 rejected an application for a Class B beer and liquor license filed by Wisco Cheese and Cheers LLC doing business as Cheese and Cheers Beastro at 2167 State Road 44.

The mayor outlined objections during council discussion, saying the applicant appears to be seeking the license to support installing video gambling machines and that state statute and the city’s municipal code do not permit issuing a second license on the same tax parcel. "This applicant ... is seeking a class B beer liquor license to allow them to ... evade a felony charge for installing video gambling machines," the mayor said. The city attorney clarified that a non-combination Class B license reduces certain penalties but does not, by itself, authorize gambling devices.

After debate, the council took a roll-call vote and the motion to approve Resolution 26-303 failed. Council then voted to place on the record the formal basis for denial, adopting a finding that the applicant does not comply with Oshkosh municipal code section 4-5 because the proposed license premises is on the same tax parcel as an already-licensed establishment.

Why it mattered: Council members said consistency with state law and municipal code and the city’s prior practice were central to their decision. One council member noted that other applicants who obtained similar permissions had first secured separate parcels and separate tax IDs.

What happened next: The council approved other liquor-license actions later in the meeting (including a transfer and several renewals) but did not grant the Cheese and Cheers application. The denial was recorded as the council’s formal finding for the public record.

Details and next steps: The transcript shows the council recorded the votes and then instructed the clerk to enter the finding under section 4-5. The council did not indicate an appeal or rehearing schedule during the meeting.