Alcohol Commission Grants Liquor Licenses To Boathouse, Cerulean
Posted
Daniel Riordan-driordan@timesuniononline.com
For the first time in the town’s history, Winona Lake will have places to buy liquor as well as carry-out alcohol.
The Kosciusko County Alcohol Beverage Commission approved 4-0 for Boathouse and Cerulean restaurants to begin serving liquor as well as allowing for carry-out of alcohol. Both restaurants were previously allowed to sell beer and wine with no carry-out.
Now, with the ability to sell beer, wine and liquor, Boathouse owner Peter Christos and Cerulean owner Caleb France say it will help their businesses.
“It allows us to be on a level playing field with competition,” said Christos.
France said it helps his restaurant’s commitment to “community and communion.”
France said the ability to sell liquor will help in delivering customers drinks that add to a complete dining experience.
With the approval, both businesses can start selling liquor as early as next week, but both Christos and France said they want to make sure everything is done the right way so it may be a couple of weeks.
France said he may utilize the carry-out aspect of his new license with beer or wine clubs.
A crowd of nearly 40 people, all in favor of the licenses, sat in the audience of the old courtroom at the Kosciusko County Courthouse during the meeting.
ABC President Gordon Vanator asked if anyone in the audience was there to speak against the licenses, then said he was surprised there were no remonstrators.
The permits still need to be processed at the state level, but with a letter of authority, both businesses, theoretically, could start serving liquor early next week.
Both Christos and France said they were thankful for friends and community members who showed up to Thursday’s meeting and also signed a petition of support.
Christos said he believes that both restaurants’ efforts to provide quality service as well as being involved in the community has helped built the goodwill that was shown Thursday.
France said that support from community members strengthened their effort toward the license.
Christos said that along with helping both businesses, he was appreciative of the community as well as the staff.
He noted that the liquor license will allow his staff to better meet the needs of customers and in turn help the staff be more successful.
Since the three-way licenses for both businesses was awarded, the beer and wine licenses they had will be relinquished.
The commission also awarded a new beer and wine license to Jones Food Center in Leesburg.
Owners Manish Patel and Mahesh Chaudhari, both residents of Chicago, were present for Thursday’s meeting. While they both live out of state, they agreed in their applications to provisions and were approved for the license. About five people were on hand in favor of Jones’ application, including former owner and namesake Harold Jones.
Noble Stores, 10010 N. Turkey Creek Road, Syracuse, was renewed for a beer and wine license despite a violation.
The violation came in February 2010.
The store’s general manager told the ABC that the stores now have a zero-tolerance policy that not only concerns employees but those who may try to aid employees in not carding and/or theft from the store. The store policy is to prosecute shoplifters and those who try to steal from the store, all items including alcohol, to the fullest extent of the law.
Pierceton Discount Packaging Store, First Street, Pierceton was approved for a renewal despite a violation from February 2010. After that approval, the ownership of the license was transferred to Joan Scott, who owns a liquor store in Columbia City.
The following businesses had their licenses renewed with no violations: – Mad Anthony’s Lake City Taphouse, East Center Street, Warsaw – Raccoon Run Golf Course, East Pierceton Road, Winona Lake – Martin’s Super Market, Husky Trail, Warsaw – Pizza King, East Winona Avenue, Warsaw – Wilby’s Gas and Goodies, South Huntington Street, Syracuse – Lassus Handy Dandy #45, Plaza Drive, Warsaw – Pickerman’s, North Detroit Street, Warsaw.
