The University of Idaho Argonaut

Barry Tassler, owner of The Beach night club is trying to obtain a liquor license in order to change the club into a grill and lounge called The Lodge Grill. Steven Devine/Argonaut

It might be the beginning of the end for The Beach night club, which is now one step closer to becoming The Lodge Grill.
Barry Tassler, owner of The Beach, said he envisions a business with more of a “family atmosphere,” opposed to the “rowdy” nightclub it is now.
“The city of Moscow is changing,” Tassler said. “We want to add to that change, revitalizing downtown Moscow.”
On Oct. 6, a frosty Moscow City Council voted 4-2 to grant Tassler an appeal to the U.S. Census Bureau to update the current city population estimate. This has the potential to allow Tassler to obtain a liquor license, which is allocated by population.

“The Beach is an eyesore,” council member Wayne Krauss told Tassler. “It’s a wart in downtown Moscow … I’m ashamed that you let it get that way. I really wish that we could bind you into something that would force you to do what you say you are going to do.”
Krauss voted in favor of the census appeal and later said if Tassler goes through with his plan, it will be a good opportunity for Moscow.
Tassler argued a liquor license was necessary for the transformation of his business.

“To make all of these changes and not have a liquor license, we’re missing one major ingredient to make a dining facility work,” he said. “And that is the occasional beverage that goes along with your meal.”
Council member Tom Lamar said he hoped if The Beach were to change, a new venue would emerge to cater to 18 to 20-year-olds.
“I’d like to see more of that even now,” Lamar said. “I think it’s easy for us to forget what it was like to be in college.”
Lamar said he would like to offer more entertainment opportunities for students under 18.

Council member Dan Carscallen was less sympathetic, saying he remembered being that age in Moscow and having no trouble finding entertainment. He said younger students should be able to do the same.
“Maybe they should be doing their homework,” he said.
Bill Belknap, community development director for Moscow, said the census appeal will likely cost the city less than $500.
Tassler offered to make a monetary donation to the city to compensate, which Mayor Nancy Chaney said she was “very uncomfortable” with.
Krauss had no such reservations.

“I think (a donation) is a good idea,” Krauss said. “I hope he goes through with it … He needs to show that he’s a credible business man.”
The council ultimately agreed to vote on the measure without the condition that Tassler make a donation.
Belknap said Tassler is also in the process of constructing five condominiums in The Beach’s upstairs. Tassler and his daughter, Brandi Tassler, will likely inhabit two of those condos.
Krauss said he thought the condos would be “a profitable venture.” He also said the building is historic and Tassler would be working with the Latah County Historical Society on the project.

Lamar voted against the appeal, saying he thought Tassler should have just waited until the next census estimate was released.
“My feeling was, let’s just wait until we have actual true data,” Lamar said.
Belknap said had the council not approved the appeal, Tassler would have to wait until July of 2009 to get the results.
The city has not done a census appeal in recent history, but it is not uncommon for communities to do so, Belknap said.
“I personally don’t have any recollection of this happening before,” Belknap said.

He said based on the information he had seen, it is likely the appeal would increase the city population enough for Tassler to get the license.
The current published population estimate for the city of Moscow is 23,223, which excludes students who do not have a permanent address listed in
the city.