[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Long Branch as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Mercantile licenses — See Ch. 230.
[Adopted 1-26-1971 by Ord. No. 590 as Sec. 7-4 of the 1971 Code]
A license shall be obtained by any person before selling or offering to sell any goods at a sale to be advertised and held as a going out of business sale, removal of business sale or fire and other altered goods sale.
A. 
Established business requisite. No person who has not been the owner of a business advertised or described in the application for a license for a period of at least six months prior to the date of the proposed sale shall be granted a license, provided that, upon the death of a person doing business in the city, his heirs, devisees, legatees or representatives shall have the right to apply at any time for a license.
B. 
Interval between sales. Any person who has held one of the sales regulated in this article at the location stated in the application within one year past from the date of the application shall not be granted a license.
C. 
Restricted location. Where a person applying for a license operates more than one place of business, the license shall apply only to the one store or branch specified in the application, and no other store or branch shall advertise or represent that it is cooperating with it or in any way participating in the licensed sale; nor shall the store or branch conducting the licensed sale advertise or represent that any other store or branch is cooperating with it or participating in any way in the licensed sale.
D. 
Persons exempted. The provisions of this article shall not apply to or affect persons acting pursuant to an order or process of a court of competent jurisdiction, persons acting in accordance with their powers and duties as public officials, duly licensed auctioneers selling at auction and any publisher of a newspaper, magazine or other publication who in good faith publishes any advertisement without actual knowledge of its false, deceptive or misleading character or without actual knowledge that the provisions of this article have not been complied with.
In addition to the information required by Chapter 230, Mercantile Licenses, applications shall disclose the following:
A. 
The nature of the occupancy of the premises where the sale is to take place, whether by lease or sublease, and the effective date of termination of the occupancy.
B. 
A full and complete statement of the facts regarding the sale, including the reason for the urgent and expeditious disposal of goods and the manner in which the sale will be conducted.
C. 
The means to be employed in advertising the sale, together with the proposed content of any advertisement.
D. 
A complete and detailed inventory of goods to be sold at the sale as disclosed by the applicant's records.
(1) 
The inventory shall contain:
(a) 
A clear description of each item to be sold, with the brand name, if any.
(b) 
The total number of each item to be sold and the date each item was purchased, with invoice numbers for each item.
(c) 
The name of the person from whom purchased, and if not purchased, the manner of acquisition.
(2) 
The inventory shall be attached to and become a part of the application. The inventory shall be signed by the person applying for the license or by an authorized agent, and the agent shall swear or affirm by affidavit that the information given is known by the affiant to be full, complete and true.
(3) 
No goods other than those listed in the inventory shall be advertised or sold at any sale for which a license is required. No person shall sell, offer or expose for sale, advertise or list on the inventory any goods which are not the regular stock at the store, the goods of which are to be closed out or disposed of through the sale, or to supplement or make any replenishments or additions from any manufacturer, jobber, wholesaler, warehouse, storage building or from any other premises or from any source whatsoever, and during the time thereof to advertise or represent the sale as being of the character for which a license is required.
(4) 
All goods included in the inventory shall have been purchased by the applicant for resale on bona fide orders without cancellation privileges and shall not comprise goods purchased on consignment. The inventory shall not include goods ordered in contemplation of or for the purpose of conducting any sale regulated hereunder. Any unusual purchase or additions to the stock of goods of the applicant made within 60 days before filing an application shall be deemed to be of such character.
All applicants shall submit a fee of $25 to the Superintendent of Licenses and Permits with the application for a license. Applicants for renewal of a license shall submit a fee of $25 to the Superintendent with the application for renewal. No license shall be issued until all taxes and assessments, fees and charges due the city have been paid.
A. 
License period and renewal procedure. The license shall authorize the sale described in the application for a period of not more than 30 consecutive days, Sundays and legal holidays excepted. The Superintendent may renew a license for one additional period of 30 days only, Sundays and holidays excepted, when he finds that facts exist justifying renewal, and then only if the licensee has filed a written application for renewal and submitted with the application for renewal a revised inventory showing the items listed on the original inventory remaining unsold and not listing any goods not included in the original application and inventory. Any application for a license covering goods previously inventoried shall be deemed to be an application for renewal, whether presented by the original applicant or another person.
B. 
Salable goods. The license shall authorize only the sale of goods described in the inventory attached to the application.
C. 
Surrender of general license. Upon being issued a license for a going out of business sale, the licensee shall surrender to the Superintendent all other business licenses he may hold at that time which are applicable to the location and goods covered by the application for a going out of business license, without rebate of any portion of the fees for any license.
D. 
Nontransferability. Any license herein provided for shall not be assignable or transferable.
A. 
All licensees shall:
(1) 
Make no additions whatsoever during the period of the licensed sale to the stock of goods set forth in the inventory attached to the application for license.
(2) 
Refrain from employing any untrue, deceptive or misleading advertising, and any advertisement by handbills, circulars, placards, signs, notices, newspapers or publications or other advertising shall include the number and date of the license.
(3) 
Conduct the sale in strict conformity with any advertising or other representations made in connection therewith.
(4) 
Keep available at the place of sale a duplicate of the inventory submitted with the application and present the same to inspecting officials upon request.
(5) 
Keep any other goods separate and apart from the goods for sale and make such distinction clear to the public.
B. 
The licensee of a going out of business sale shall not continue the business beyond the date specified for the sale in the license and shall not, upon conclusion of the sale, continue the business under the same name or under a different name in the same location or elsewhere in the city.
A violation of this article shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article I.
[1]
Editor's Note: Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).