Peabody convenience store granted liquor license

PEABODY – The owners of a downtown convenience store will soon be adding more inventory to their shelves and refrigerators. With the unanimous approval of the City Council Thursday night and pending the same verdict from the Peabody Licensing Board, Walnut Mart, located at 36 Walnut St., will be able to sell their customers varieties of beer and wine.The owners required a special permit due to the proximity restrictions. A church is located directly above the business within the same building and a school happens to be within 500 feet – both go against the city’s current ordinance.Attorney Athan Vontzalides spoke on the pair’s behalf, citing the need for the permit in order to keep their business afloat.”It is a full service convenience store offering traditional convenience store items along with coffee, soft drinks, soups, salads and sandwiches,” he said. “The great majority of their customers come by foot traffic?As a result, many of their customers prefer one stop shopping and continually ask the petitioner if she would sell beer, wine and cordials from her store.”Vontzalides said that in order to remain competitive with the surrounding businesses and to better serve their customers, a special permit and license to sell beer and wine would need to be granted.In response to concerns from councilors about the nearby schools and churches, Vontzalides read a written letter of support by a representative from the Living Hope Church of the Nazarene.”We have no reservations or concerns,” read Vontzalides, adding that the pastor also stated that his relationship with the owners has always been “both cordial and professional.”Before approving their request, Councilor Rico Mello added four stipulations to the special permit: only beer and wine could be sold, there is to be no consumption of alcohol anywhere in the building, upon transfer of ownership, the special permit will have to come before the city council again and receive two-thirds of the vote and any more than two violations within one year will result in the revocation of the license.”I think the compromise is good,” said Councilor Barry Osborne, who praised the owners for their hard work and upkeep of the building.