Pouring out

a shot of history

By Frank Ruggiero

Brenn Wagoner poured a shot of history Friday, mixing the first cocktail served in the town of Boone since voters passed a liquor-by-the-drink referendum Aug. 19.

Wagoner, manager of Makoto’s Seafood and Steakhouse of Japan, mixed a gin and tonic for area resident and restaurateur Frederick Coffey, a long-time advocate of liquor-by-the-drink in Boone.

“I’m glad we can move on to the 21st century,” said Coffey, who attempted to bring the matter to a vote in 2004. “It’s a much wiser way to serve alcohol – it’s much better by the drink than by the bottle. Here’s to Boone, and its voters and our city council for allowing us to vote.”

Gwen Dhing, co-owner of Makoto’s, was happy her restaurant could serve the town’s first drink, especially so since Makoto’s also served Boone’s first beer in 1986, when beer and wine were first permitted.
Coincidentally enough, Coffey sold the first mixed drink in Blowing Rock at his restaurant, Coffey’s, which later moved to Boone.

Dhing said the permitting process was surprisingly simple, with Makoto’s having received its permit only 10 days after the referendum. She filed the appropriate paperwork Aug. 21, and by Friday the process was under way. Her husband (and restaurant co-owner), Ron Dhing, drove to Raleigh Thursday to file the town of Boone’s approval of their application with the state ABC Commission. He received a permit that same day and faxed it to his wife in Boone.

Since Thursday, Dhing said her staff has undergone training from the town’s ABC officials and bartenders from Woodland’s Barbecue in Blowing Rock, who educated Makoto’s bartenders on mixing techniques and the history of the beverages they’ll be serving.

According to Barry Horton, assistant manager of the Boone ABC store, Makoto’s was the first restaurant to acquire a permit, making Coffey’s gin and tonic the first served in town, though Coffey begs to differ.

“Liquor’s been served for decades in Boone – just not legally,” he said.