The Lynn Daily Item reports that two downtown market owners want to sell beer and wine in their store but the police chief and the Lynn shelter’s director object to the plan.
Police Chief Kevin Coppinger said Contreras Market’s plans represent “a step backwards” from efforts to prevent intoxicated individuals from using the shelter, located at Washington and Willow streets.
Coppinger said police officers were called to the former French’s Liquors on Washington Street to handle complaints concerning shelter clients and said the shelter, with help from city officials, has taken steps to end public intoxication downtown.
“We just went through efforts to have a dry shelter. It (Contreras) is not a good location. It’s too close to the shelter,” Coppinger said, according to the Item.
But Contreras Market owner Javier Rincon is not sure he can keep his Central Avenue store in business without beer and wine sales.
“It’s the only thing I can see keeping it open. It’s no secret how business is,” Rincon said.
Rincon and his wife, Berenise Cabreja, Lynn residents, asked the Licensing Board on May 22 to approve the transfer of a beer and wine beverage package store license from current holder, Duverge Convenience Store, 182 Myrtle St., to the Central Avenue store near Liberty Street, roughly a block from the shelter.
According to Cabreja’s application, the 78 Central Ave. resident plans to spend $39,000 starting up her business. Most of that expense, according to paperwork filed with the clerk, involves the $30,000 Cabreja plans to pay license holder Jose Perez, Duverge Convenience Store’s principal, for the beer and wine license.
Licensing Board Chairwoman Patricia Barton said board members have questions about the application and plan to review her request again when the board meets on June 22.
Barton on Friday said board members want additional information on who currently owns the license and if the City Council must review Cabreja’s plans.
“We don’t feel like we have all the information,” Barton said.
Cabreja’s Lynn attorney, Samuel Vitali, said that “people have concerns” about the beer and wine license transfer. He noted in the message that Duverge is located in a residential neighborhood and stated, in his view, that the beer and wine license might be more appropriate in a business rather than a residential district.
