Schererville is the latest Region community to explore a designated area where alcohol may be bought and consumed, albeit a very limited one. The town council voted last week to establish a "designated outdoor refreshment area" for the downtown district.
Director of Operations Andrew Hansen said it will be focused on the new Pennsy Pints and Performers event, planned for August 15 and 16. "There'd be food vendors and different beverage vendors, and we'd have live music," Hansen told council members. "We'd close the road down, and you'd be able to have alcohol within this designated area. There'll be signage."
A DORA allows customers to buy alcohol from an approved vendor and drink it anywhere in the designated area, without having to stay inside a restaurant or fenced-in beer garden. Schererville's DORA would include Greg's Place, the open lot at 22 West Joliet Street and the areas in front of the town hall and police department. Schererville Lounge would also be allowed to sell alcohol in the DORA as a temporary vendor, although its physical location wouldn't be included.
Hansen said the state frowns on creating DORAs for one-time events, but it would still be limited to Fridays and Saturdays in August. "We wanted to try it out, see how it was going to work and start small, and we can always build from there," Hansen said.
The DORA now goes to the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission for final approval.
This isn't the first time Schererville has tried to use alcohol regulations to spur activity downtown. In 2023, the town council established a "riverfront district," to make it easier for new restaurants to get a liquor license.
