Petworth

Yes! Organic Market, slated to go in at Taylor and Georgia, is on it’s way to getting an exemption for a liquor license! Make no mistake about it, you the commenters played a huge role in this development. From a press release from the office of Council Member Muriel Bowser:

“I introduced legislation today to exempt a new, full service grocery store [Yes! Organic Market] (or substantially renovated full-service grocery store) within the boundaries of ANC 4C07 from the current Ward 4 moratorium on new Class B alcohol licenses. “It is my hope that this legislation will enable a full-service grocery store to apply for a Class B alcohol license within ANC4C07,” said Councilmember Bowser. She looks forward to a full vetting in the community and support of ANC4C before final DC Council action.”

Thanks to Councilmember Bowser (and ANC Rep. Joe Martin) for their actions on this matter. Full press release after the jump. (more…)

I wanted to make sure that this comment didn’t get buried from yesterday’s post.

“I understand that this discussion comes out of a conversation the PoP had with a local merchant last night, and it’s fair to raise the discussion, one we have been having in ANC 4C for the past couple of months.

The issue is fairly cut and dry. Current law prohibits new supermarkets in Ward 4 from obtaining new beer-and-wine, Class B, licenses. The issue has nothing to do with restaurant, alcoholic beverage licenses, still available, and it’s a seperate issue from the “single sales” law in place.

The only current option available for Gary Cha, the owner of Yes! Organic Market, is for Mr. Cha to purchase a possibly available license from a convenience store owner elsewhere in Ward 4. The owner of that convenience store told Mr. Cha that he would have to buy the convenience store in order to get the accompanying license. Mr. Cha said at June’s ANC 4C meeting that he can’t afford to do so.

Safeway, meanwhile, has plans to build at new, “lifestyle” Safeway at its current location near the Georgia/Petworth Metro, and Safeway officials have made it clear that they want a beer-and-wine license for that location.

As a large, international corporation, Safely can easily choose the possible option currently available — buy and sell a convenience store elsewhere in the Ward in order to obtain a beer-and-wine license. Ditto Giant, Whole Foods, Harris Teeter or other large regional, national or international chains.

The current law, in effect, penalizes the little guy, Gary Cha and his Yes! Organic Market. One argument is that the law shouldn’t be changed to favor one business. The other side of that is that current law effectively only harms small, supermarket businesses, like Yes!, not the big ones. The big, corporate folks have more resources , therefore more options.

Sara Green, an ANC commissioner in Takoma, told me that she was one of the Takoma residents who favored the current law a few years back as a way of forcing the Piney Branch Safeway to become more responsive to the neighborhood. The tactic apparently didn’t work. The Piney Branch Safeway wasn’t affected by the new law and has a beer-and-wine license. Comment continues after the jump. (more…)