Leonardtown, MD — Three strikes and they are out. The owners of the Hollywood Shakers bar have sold their business after getting hauled before the St. Mary’s County Alcohol Beverage Board (liquor board) for violations on three occasions during their one year of operation. Their bar called Hollywood Shakers had taken over the long-time Dew Drop Inn location.

William Dain Johnson has taken over the bar on Mervill Dean Road in Hollywood and is renaming it Last Drop Country Bar. Johnson told the liquor board, “It’s a bar rescue through and through.”

When Hollywood Shakers’ owners were last before the board in July, a 30-day suspension was imposed and $3,000 in fines levied for disturbing the neighborhood and allowing a patron to leave the bar with an open container of alcohol. Previously the licence was suspended for drinking on the parking lot and fined for a melee on the parking lot last Christmas.

Licensees Danny Dunbar, Jr. and Sean Earley had told the liquor board before the most recent suspension that they were voluntarily shutting down to try to get their act together.

The most recent complaints were over loud noise from the rock bands performing at the bar. Johnson told the liquor board that would be no more. Instead if he has bands they will be acoustic country bands instead, he said.

Johnson, who works on base as an engineer, has done considerable interior renovation. His manager also owns a licensed food truck which will pull up to the back fence on weekends to sell food. Johnson hopes to eventually install a kitchen so lunch can be served there.

Johnson said his goal was to create “a safe, comfortable environment there.” He noted, “I need a chance to turn this bar around and fix it.” Among the problems he relayed from the previous operation included disrespect of police officers by employees and failure to properly patrol the outside of the establishment.

Although Johnson has no previous bar experience, he said he did work for a time at Applebees. The board seemed impressed with a written presentation to each board member that showed his plans to address the bar’s previous problems.

Johnson says his likely hours of operation will be noon to 1 a.m. He said he planned to close earlier than most bars to make sure his patrons were on the road before those from other bars hit the road.

After; listening to Johnson’s presentation the board unanimously approved the transfer of ownership and change of name of the bar.

Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com