Local business owner one of two to win application lottery for liquor license in Rockmart

Clint Brock is expecting to be busier than ever as he is one of two local business owners who are taking on the challenge of opening one of the first two liquor stores within the Rockmart city limits.

Brock, along with Grant Atkins, were the winners of the lottery to be able to apply for the local conditional use permit and liquor license to operate within the City of Rockmart.

This came on the heels of the 2021 vote last November to allow for liquor to be sold by the package within the city limits, lifting the prohibition that forced residents on the east side of the county to drive to Cedartown, Cartersville, Dallas or even Rome to buy liquor. With the change approved by voters and ordinances approved by the Rockmart City Council, the lottery was the next step in the process after the city received 14 applications, and brought in a third party consultant to conduct the lottery itself.

Brock said he began the process today to figure out the next steps forward to get open, but has already made one decision clear. Brock plans to build a new store.

Where exactly is still up in the air.

Regardless he plans to get open “as quickly as I can.”

He added that he would like to be open before the end of the year, but expects that the process of finding a contractor, an appropriate building site, getting permission to start construction and much more will push the expected open date to 2023.

Polk Today has reached out to Atkins, but has yet to receive a call back from the local electrical contractor.

Check back for more developments as they become available.