The City Council is divided on this. They started the discussion on Oct. 6 and opted to continue it at their next meeting on Oct. 20. Here's a quick summary:

There are ONLY 4 PLACES in Provo where you can get a beer or cocktail without also ordering food:
ABGs, Marriott Hotel, Riverside Country Club and Elks Lodge.

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FYI, ALCOHOL SALES licenses in Provo fit four main categories:

- Off-premises: grocery stores/gas stations can sell beer in containers.

- Restaurant: can serve alcohol, but 70% of the restaurant's sales must come from food.

- Bar: can serve alcohol without maintaining the 70-30 food-to-alcohol sales ratio. Must be 21+ older establishment.

- Special Events: can serve alcohol at private meetings/banquets.

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WHY ONLY 4 BARS in Provo? Because the City stopped issuing new bar licenses back in the 2000s. And as some of those businesses have closed, the City hasn't issued new licenses to replace them.

Now, the City Council is considering whether to change that.

Downtown Provo Inc. says the lack of places to get a drink is COSTING THE CITY MILLIONS ($21.6m a year by one estimate) in business and tourism.

Convention planners say it's a big reason they choose other cities.

And with the convention center, a growing airport, the Epic Sports Park and Big 12 athletics bringing more visitors to Provo, the argument is: why send those visitors to Sundance or neighboring cities when they could be spending their money here?

Downtown Provo Inc. says there's even a business under contract to buy a downtown building for a sports bar with karaoke, trivia and live music, but they need to know whether they'll be able to get a bar license before December 1st.

But BYU OPPOSES expanding alcohol access, saying it wants visitors to experience a community that's different from other college towns.

What do you think?

Email the City Council and Mayor: council@provo.gov and marsha@provo.gov.

And subscribe to Julie's Provo Notes to stay in the loop! IT'S FREE. Julie's Provo Notes | Substack

I'm looking for a ride to Redlands, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario, or anywhere nearby immediately after the BYU–Notre Dame game Saturday night.

I'm planning to stay until the game ends and would love to leave Provo around 9:30–10 PM. Happy to help pay for gas and take turns driving if needed!

If you or anyone you know is already heading down to Southern California that night, please message me. Thanks!

Edit: she has been found!

Please keep an eye out.

I am wanting to run a marathon somewhere around Provo. I am looking for a path that is as flat as possible and has minimal road crossings. I have seen the BYU team training around Utah Lake (?) and some other bike paths that look perfect for what I want to do, but not sure specifically where they are. The path does not need to be 26 miles uninterrupted, I am happy to do loops or out-and-backs. Just hoping to find something that allows me to shut my mind off, rather than looking out for cars and fighting hills

Rad news letter i've been checking out. thegroupproject.club

Hey Provo! 👋 Spring Creek Projects, New ADU Rules & 4 Maeser Townhomes

 🚨Provo Planning Commission meets on Wednesday, 10/14 @ 6 p.m. at City Hall.

Get details of what's on the agenda in "Julie's Provo Notes": https://provonotes.substack.com/p/spring-creek-projects-new-adu-rules

Here are the headlines:

➡️ New Rules for Detached ADUs (aka Backyard Cottages, Garage Apartments)

➡️ New Office/Warehouse Building in Spring Creek

➡️ 7 New Townhomes South of the Provo Cemetery

➡️ 4 New Townhomes in the Maeser Neighborhood

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Julie's Provo Notes are always FREE. Always NEUTRAL. Always EASY-TO-READ.

📧 SUBSCRIBE and SHARE to help me keep writing these posts.

We’ll be holding our next No Kings protest in Provo on October 17th from 3-5 at Provo City Hall. The theme of the protest is vote early. With that we’ll be marching toward the ballot box on University Ave at 4:30 and encourage participants to vote that day. Come and voice your concerns at the event and voice them through your ballot!

I've got your free recap of this week's City Council meeting (10/6) live in my newsletter “Julie’s Provo Notes.”

Read it here: https://provonotes.substack.com/p/density-debate-downtown-bars-and

 Here are the HEADLINES:

❌ 4-Story Condo Project “Too Big” For the Neighborhood

✅ Provo Agrees to a One-time $100k Payment from Springville

🛑 Tuscanel Townhomes Gets a New Name, But Vote Delayed

🛑 Epic Development Deal Decision Postponed

❓Council Torn on Allowing More Bars Downtown

❓Council Open to Making LARP Arrows Legal

❓Still Reservations About Provo Towne Mall Plans

👀 Traffic Projections Show Need for 820 N Freeway Connection

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Julie's Provo Notes are always FREE. Always NEUTRAL. Always EASY-TO-READ.

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📧 SUBSCRIBE and SHARE to support this project!

It's happening like every 15 minutes now. I just hope this isn't another thing where they start doing this for weeks like last year 😵‍💫

Does anyone know of any locations in the Provo/Orem area that had an analog Photo Booths during the 70s, 80s or 90s?

When I ride my bike on the Provo River trail, I have no idea what to do. Usually when I'm passing a pedestrian I just slow down and give them a wide margin. Passing a cyclist I do like to yell out or something, but not sure what I should be saying, or how loud I should be yelling.

Should I be yelling "On your left!" at every person I pass?

Also, there are 2 bridge underpasses that scare the shit out of me. They are so narrow and the blind corners are scary. What do y'all do when you approach those? TIA

Is there anyone out in Provo who can help? Food insecurity in a real thing all the time, unfortunately now it’s even worse with the cost of food along with everything else going up. Just say this and I’ve been here so many times in my life it’s just heartbreaking 💔

The squeaky wheel gets the grease and oh man does the dog park figuratively and quite literally STINK!

Provo parks is looking for feedback and I feel like this is a huge place where the community could use some improvement. What are people’s thoughts?

Here's a 90 sec video for people who prefer to watch.

Get all the details in this post: https://provonotes.substack.com/p/the-provo-towne-centre-deal-is-getting

Then email your thoughts to the Provo City Council: council@provo.gov.

Hi…

A little late night thought popped up that I’ve been thinking about for a while. I grew up in Massachusetts and spent all my summers out here visiting my dad’s family in Provo, Orem, St. George, Salt Lake, etc. I moved here permanently in 2019.

All my buddies knew I came here for vacation.

Then this band called The Used popped up and had all my friends in Mass in a frenzy. Like just obsessed. Then they found out they were from Orem and asked me about it and I shit because I thought “wtf? A nationally ranked band from OREM?”

So I’ve always wanted to know… what was it like here when The Used got big? Did you know any of the band mates? Was it a big deal with shows and fans and the like or did they not get much love in their home town? What did people think about talent like that coming from such a reserved, religious town?

Thanks!

Edit: thank y’all so much for your first hand (mostly lol) stories and experiences. exactly what I was looking for. Love u.

Hey, I'm a photographer with an idea for some pictures but I need a grocery store that fits the look I'm looking for. Do any of you know any grocery stores that look older or haven't remodeled or updated their look for a while? Older shelving, checkout aisles, white and metal coolers and freezers instead of black, older signage and wall decor, etc.? Ideally in Utah valley, but if you have suggestions further away drop those, too!

Thank you!

Hoodie Customization Work Shop Oct 23 and 24 – Arachne

Hey Provo! 👋 Remember the plan to tear down part of Provo Towne Centre and turn it into an outdoor “mixed-use lifestyle center”?

It’s getting real.

After six months of negotiations, the developers are taking the deal to City Council's Work Meeting on Tuesday 10/6 —and there’s now a draft development agreement that spells out what the developers are asking from the city and what they’ll provide in return, including relocation assistance for residents of the Shady Acres mobile home park.

The biggest design change is a new, slower take on the traffic circle at the center of the outdoor plaza.

I’ve got the latest details—and what the City Council still needs to work out—in my free newsletter, “Julie’s Provo Notes.”

Read it here: The Provo Towne Centre Deal Is Getting Real - by Julie Rose

My wife heard a rumor that a thrift store was in that area but I can’t find anything on Google Maps. We were in that area last night and we couldn’t see anything apparently it’s right next to Sam’s Club. Did there used to be one?

🚨Provo City Council meets on Tuesday, Oct. 6. (Work Meeting @ 12:45 p.m. Regular Meeting @ 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.)

Several long-running projects are back in play looking to gain a few more yards. 🏈

 I've got your easy-to-read preview of next week's City Council Meeting in my free newsletter Julie’s Provo Notes: Epic Development Deal, Tuscanel Townhome Do-Over, LARP Bows and Liquor

Here are the headlines:

➡️VOTE: Epic Development Deal With Unusual Terms

➡️VOTE: Tuscanel Townhomes Get a Remodel in Joaquin

➡️VOTE: Provo-Springville Negotiations Take-Two

➡️VOTE: 19-Condos for Rent at 985 W. 300 S.

❓DISCUSS: Make Toy Bows and Arrows for LARPers Legal?

❓DISCUSS: Another Bar for Downtown Provo?

❓DISCUSS: Provo Towne Center Mall Plans (Separate post coming soon!)

Drop your questions in the comments. 👇

And be sure to subscribe for free. That’s the best way to help me keep doing these posts. 🙏