Group Therapy Appeal Dropped in Liquor License Dispute
The appeal of a judge's ruling allowing the Five Points bar Group Therapy to keep its liquor license was dropped after the parties reached an agreement.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Substance Abuse
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Harpootlian dropped the appeal of the Group Therapy liquor license ruling on May 6, 2026, after the parties reached a mutual agreement to end the dispute. The appeal of the Five Points Saloon ruling continues with no court date set.
Why it matters
The dispute began when Adams protested the bars' liquor license renewals in July 2024, arguing they do not meet a state requirement that most business be driven by food sales rather than alcohol. The outcome shows how a licensing challenge can end in a private settlement while related litigation remains open.
The judge did not allow Harpootlian to use data on how much of the bars' business comes from food sales, leaving the food-sales question unresolved in court. The Group Therapy dispute ended with sealed settlement terms, while the Saloon appeal remains pending with no date set.
The players
Crystal M. Rookard
Crystal M. Rookard is the judge who ruled that the Five Points bars could keep their liquor licenses and later denied reconsideration.
Harpootlian
Harpootlian is the attorney who dropped the appeal of the Group Therapy liquor license ruling.
The details
Group Therapy's license was restored in time for the January 9 memorial for Steve Taneyhill, and the dropped appeal ended that dispute. The appeal of the Five Points Saloon ruling continues in Columbia.
Timeline
July 2024: Adams filed protests against the bars' liquor license renewals.
December 31, 2025: Judge Crystal M. Rookard ruled the bars could keep their licenses.
February 20, 2026: Judge denied Adams' request to reconsider.
March 20, 2026: Adams filed an appeal to both rulings.
May 6, 2026: The appeal of the Group Therapy ruling was dropped.
Legal Context
The dispute turns on a South Carolina requirement that most business at licensed bars be driven by food sales rather than alcohol. The Group Therapy settlement and the pending Five Points Saloon appeal show how that requirement is being contested locally in Columbia.
Residents near Five Points and Wales Garden are directly affected by whether the bars keep operating under their current licenses. The pending Saloon appeal means the question of food-sales compliance remains open for the neighborhood.
The takeaway
Licensing disputes can be resolved privately while related challenges stay open, so residents should track the pending appeal for the outcome that governs both bars.
What happens next
The appeal of the Five Points Saloon ruling continues, but no court date has been set.
Further reading
For more on the local alcohol rules at issue, see Substance Abuse coverage in Columbia.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Post and Courier.
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