Ward 4 alcohol licenses

A sidenote about the previous post - I see Gary Cha, owner of Yes! Market, will be at the ANC 4C meeting on Tuesday. I've heard that he's worried about not being able to get an alcohol license, due to Ward 4's moratorium on new licenses. Whether this will affect his plans to open a new store in the building going up at Georgia and Taylor remains to be seen. I wonder if most residents are even aware of the current law. What do people think, should the existing legislation be amended to allow exceptions for supermarkets/grocery stores? Beer and wine sales can be a significant portion of a store's profits. Could the moratorium have a discouraging effect on future development, especially on Georgia Avenue?

Comments

[SusanM]

I strongly support permitting Yes Organic Market to receive a beer and wine license. Georgia Avenue currently has a shortage of businesses, especially quality grocery stores and restaurants. A ban on creating additional licenses could significantly limit new development in the area. I would be very disappointed if Yes Organic Market were unable to obtain a license and decided to relocate. I strongly support creating additional licenses if needed to support new development.

[saf]

I did not know we had a moratorium on licenses. I find that, well, stupid. I'd like to see more retail and restaurants in the neighborhood. There are ways other than a total ban to prevent problem places from getting licensed.

[John King]

I've already written Councilmember Bowser on this topic, but I think the moratorium is a terrible policy. Yes! Organic is doing a great thing for the community by opening the store. How many years until it breaks even on set-up costs? But instead of rewarding entrepreneurship that benefits the community, the policy requires Gary Cha to take money from his own pocket and transfer it to the owner of some corner market.

[Markus]

Yes is a great store. I go to the one in Brookland over the much closer Giant and Safeway options. It would be a shame if Yes didn't come to Petworth because of what seems to be a ridiculous moratorium on liquor licenses. It's one thing to make sure the area isn't littered with bullett-proof glass liquor stores, but its another thing to hurt a quality grocery store.

[Joseph Martin]

Gary Cha told me only one license is available for purchase and the person with the license told Mr. Cha he'd have to buy his convenience store elsewhere in the Ward if he wants the license.

Gary Cha and/or one of the executives with the Neighborhood Development Company, the developers putting up the building, estimate a reduction in revenue of 12% if Yes Organic Market were to set up shop in Ward 4 without a beer and wine license. I have no way of verifying that estimate. In any case, the issue is on the agenda for tomoorrow's ANC 4C meeting.

[Susan]

I believe that supermarkets, and certainly restaurants, will be at a significant disadvantage if they are unable to procure licenses to sell alcohol. If the current law makes this burdensome, then I think it should be re-visited.

[Bill]

My understanding is that there aren't too many licenses floating around there for the purchase. I've heard the only Ward 4 license currently available to Mr. Cha would require him to buy an entire business along with the license itself.

I'm not sure if the ban applies to restaurants. I wonder if restaurants that may open in the Park Place retail spaces would be affected.

[GforGood]

If I am not mistaken, they can buy a license from someone else. That's what they should try to do if they really need to sell alcohol.

And no, I don't think alcohol licenses for retail will or should be allowed to slow down GA AVE revitalization. Restaurants are perhaps a different matter and for them some licenses should be handed.