The Cullman City Council will consider tonight whether to amend its alcohol ordinance to allow a cooperative of three or more restaurants — a food hall — to serve alcohol. 

The council will meet at 7 p.m. to hold a first reading of the proposed change allowing a Class III restaurant that meet the following requirements: at least three separate food vendors, 3,000 square feet of dining space with capacity for 150 or more and comply with building and fire codes. 

Like other restaurants licensed to sell alcohol, the change would still require food and meals to account for at least 60 percent of a food hall’s gross receipts over any 90-day period.

“The serving of food or meals shall constitute the principal business of such establishment with the serving of liquor, malt or brewed beverages, wines, or other alcoholic beverages being only an incidental part of the business,” the amendment states.  

The proposal is up for consideration as Mae’s Food Hall comes to life in the Warehouse District. The project is spearheaded by Rock the South founder and promoter Shane Quick who is steering his downtown investment through the company Quick Development.

The food hall plans to showcase talented chefs who offer everything from sushi to authentic Mexican food. Quick also bought the Ponder building, which houses Rumors Deli and the remaining lot on the south end of the area.

“Food halls are growing in cities like Atlanta, New York, Philadelphia, Birmingham and Chicago. It will be exciting to see Cullman with something that you typically would only find in large cities,” Quick said. “We’re only sourcing locals and independents, no franchises.”

Another goal in Mae’s is to provide an incubator for chefs to test their skills and develop a following for their creations.

“From this, you could see someone branch out into opening a full restaurant, which then creates another opening for another chief to come into Mae’s,” Quick said.