ABC Approves Syracuse Permit Despite Opposition
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Despite remonstrance from the Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association Thursday, the Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Commission unanimously approved Walter Young's petition for beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales retailer permits.
Young plans to have a restaurant at 104 E. Pickwick Road, Syracuse, with alcohol sales comprising only 20 to 30 percent of his business. Carry-out will not be available and a family room is not part of the business.
Young told the ABC his business will be a restaurant first and foremost. "We've got a good track record of serving good food," he said.
Approximately 20 years ago, Young operated a business, Quackers, at the same location, but sold the business and the liquor license, though he kept ownership of the building. Recently, he said, they decided to reopen the restaurant, though he isn't sure what the name will be.
His petition was continued at the April meeting when 66 (out of 250) signatures on Young's petition were found to be questionable.
For a new liquor license, the petitioner must gather 250 signatures of people in the community who want to see the business sell alcohol. On Young's petition, either the addresses of those who signed were not correct or some people signed twice.
Young has since corrected the problem.
Also at April's meeting, Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Syracuse Church Pastor Ralph McCoy, the president of the Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association, along with Lauren McCune, Wawasee Heights Baptist Church and Leroy Wise, Calvary United Methodist Church, attended the meeting to remonstrate.
Thursday, before the remonstrators told the board why they were against another alcohol permit in Syracuse, Mike Kaduk, The Frog Tavern proprietor, told the board why he was in favor of Young receiving the permit.
"I've known Mr. Young for over 20 years," he said. "I've been in this business for 10 years myself. In this business ... having a man of integrity is rare and that's what Wally is.
"... It's pleasing to me to see the possibility of Wally coming back to that building and picking up where he left off," Kaduk said.
McCune was the first remonstrator to speak to the board. "We are not in opposition to this man. We are not picking him out from anyone else," he said. What the association is against, though, is the proliferation of alcohol in the community. Based on the size of the Syracuse community, he said, Syracuse may have too many alcohol licenses already. They don't want to see a bar on every corner. Also, Young's establishment would be next to the Dairy Queen, where families regularly visit.
"We do not," he said, "want to see the community become a community where people come to because it has so many alcohol establishments."
He asked the board to consider what "another alcohol license will do to this town."
McCoy presented the board with petitions from eight churches in Syracuse, three business and two petitions from a total of 55 Syracuse residents who were opposed to the new license.
"Our concern," McCoy said, "is the effect that it has on a city of 2,700." He asked Young what kind of food the establishment will serve.
"We intend to have noon lunches served. ... There's a great need for it. People would rather have meatloaf and scalloped potatoes rather than a burger," Young responded. "We'll have a menu."
Board president Darwin Call asked McCoy if he believes the alcohol consumption in Syracuse will become "out of whack" if the board granted the petition.
McCoy said a line has to be drawn somewhere. Too many establishments selling alcohol changes the climate and demeanor of a community. He said it seems there is a disproportionate number of businesses in Syracuse that sell alcohol.
When the vote was taken as to whether or not to grant Young the license, Call said he was voting in favor of the petition because "in this particular case, I don't see a reason to deny it and I'm voting for it."
Board members Gordon Vanator, Excise Officer Patricia Fleck and Kenneth Johnson said they would vote in favor of the petition, too.
In other business, a petition by Mosaique Restaurant, Warsaw, for a beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales retailer permit renewal was continued to the June ABC meeting. Fleck said she wants to check on their food sales and have the petitioner, Nancy Sideris, at the board meeting to answer a few questions.
Automatic renewals included:
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits for Bud's Bar, Syracuse.
• Sunday sales retailer permit for Gordy's Sub Pub, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales retailer permit for Tippecanoe Lake Country Club, Leesburg.
• Beer and wine retailer permit, Spikes, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits, American Legion Post 253, North Webster.
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits, El Arriero, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor dealer permit, King's Keg, North Webster.
• Beer and wine retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits for Pizza Hut, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits for Lil's Anchor Bar, Syracuse.
Board members are Call, Johnson, Vanator and an excise officer. They meet at 2 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month in the county courthouse. [[In-content Ad]]
Despite remonstrance from the Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association Thursday, the Kosciusko County Alcoholic Beverage Commission unanimously approved Walter Young's petition for beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales retailer permits.
Young plans to have a restaurant at 104 E. Pickwick Road, Syracuse, with alcohol sales comprising only 20 to 30 percent of his business. Carry-out will not be available and a family room is not part of the business.
Young told the ABC his business will be a restaurant first and foremost. "We've got a good track record of serving good food," he said.
Approximately 20 years ago, Young operated a business, Quackers, at the same location, but sold the business and the liquor license, though he kept ownership of the building. Recently, he said, they decided to reopen the restaurant, though he isn't sure what the name will be.
His petition was continued at the April meeting when 66 (out of 250) signatures on Young's petition were found to be questionable.
For a new liquor license, the petitioner must gather 250 signatures of people in the community who want to see the business sell alcohol. On Young's petition, either the addresses of those who signed were not correct or some people signed twice.
Young has since corrected the problem.
Also at April's meeting, Vineyard Christian Fellowship of Syracuse Church Pastor Ralph McCoy, the president of the Syracuse-Wawasee Ministerial Association, along with Lauren McCune, Wawasee Heights Baptist Church and Leroy Wise, Calvary United Methodist Church, attended the meeting to remonstrate.
Thursday, before the remonstrators told the board why they were against another alcohol permit in Syracuse, Mike Kaduk, The Frog Tavern proprietor, told the board why he was in favor of Young receiving the permit.
"I've known Mr. Young for over 20 years," he said. "I've been in this business for 10 years myself. In this business ... having a man of integrity is rare and that's what Wally is.
"... It's pleasing to me to see the possibility of Wally coming back to that building and picking up where he left off," Kaduk said.
McCune was the first remonstrator to speak to the board. "We are not in opposition to this man. We are not picking him out from anyone else," he said. What the association is against, though, is the proliferation of alcohol in the community. Based on the size of the Syracuse community, he said, Syracuse may have too many alcohol licenses already. They don't want to see a bar on every corner. Also, Young's establishment would be next to the Dairy Queen, where families regularly visit.
"We do not," he said, "want to see the community become a community where people come to because it has so many alcohol establishments."
He asked the board to consider what "another alcohol license will do to this town."
McCoy presented the board with petitions from eight churches in Syracuse, three business and two petitions from a total of 55 Syracuse residents who were opposed to the new license.
"Our concern," McCoy said, "is the effect that it has on a city of 2,700." He asked Young what kind of food the establishment will serve.
"We intend to have noon lunches served. ... There's a great need for it. People would rather have meatloaf and scalloped potatoes rather than a burger," Young responded. "We'll have a menu."
Board president Darwin Call asked McCoy if he believes the alcohol consumption in Syracuse will become "out of whack" if the board granted the petition.
McCoy said a line has to be drawn somewhere. Too many establishments selling alcohol changes the climate and demeanor of a community. He said it seems there is a disproportionate number of businesses in Syracuse that sell alcohol.
When the vote was taken as to whether or not to grant Young the license, Call said he was voting in favor of the petition because "in this particular case, I don't see a reason to deny it and I'm voting for it."
Board members Gordon Vanator, Excise Officer Patricia Fleck and Kenneth Johnson said they would vote in favor of the petition, too.
In other business, a petition by Mosaique Restaurant, Warsaw, for a beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales retailer permit renewal was continued to the June ABC meeting. Fleck said she wants to check on their food sales and have the petitioner, Nancy Sideris, at the board meeting to answer a few questions.
Automatic renewals included:
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits for Bud's Bar, Syracuse.
• Sunday sales retailer permit for Gordy's Sub Pub, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor and Sunday sales retailer permit for Tippecanoe Lake Country Club, Leesburg.
• Beer and wine retailer permit, Spikes, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits, American Legion Post 253, North Webster.
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits, El Arriero, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor dealer permit, King's Keg, North Webster.
• Beer and wine retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits for Pizza Hut, Warsaw.
• Beer, wine and liquor retailer and Sunday sales retailer permits for Lil's Anchor Bar, Syracuse.
Board members are Call, Johnson, Vanator and an excise officer. They meet at 2 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month in the county courthouse. [[In-content Ad]]