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Westwood Village Liquor Store

Started 2 years ago by TheHouse
Latest reply from JoB

TheHouse
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I spoke my peace on the main page posting, but figured I'd start a thread here.

Despite the fact that I'd enjoy the opportunity to walk to WV to fill up on liquor, I am not in favor of it being in my backyard.

I don't feel like many of the other people that posted that underage drinking will be an issue. You're never going to stop that...they will always find a way to get it.

My issue is with the vagrants that typically surround liquor stores. No, I don't want alcoholic homeless people walking, sleeping and peeing in my neighborhood. If you don't think that will happen, then you're in denial. Just hang out at the White Center or Junction location for a few hours.

Since liquor stores are a State run business, shouldn't there be some sort of hearing when they want to open one of these stores?

Posted 2 years ago #
ToddinWestwood
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I am sure W.V. will keep it from getting too bad.

I think that the large group of vagrants and alcoholics that you see are drinking high alcohol malt liquor and apple based wine (night train, md 2020, ect) which is readily available at any mini mart in town.
I have a hard time thinking teen drinking will increase. At least for my teen years, it was stealing our parents liquor or drinking beer at a kegger party.

Posted 2 years ago #
bluebird
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The White Center location may not be a valid comparison. The needle exchange van is on the same street.

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
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Regarding hearings, in this case it is the planned replacement for the store that closed in Morgan Junction a year ago. They said at the time they were looking for a replacement. The LCB does report to state leaders, of course, so if there's a concern with the process, you could contact your legislators -- all three 34th District reps are listed here (follow their links to contact info):
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder/results.aspx?District=34

Questions about whether there is an opportunity to contest a particular location could go to LCB HQ:
http://www.liq.wa.gov/agency_contact.aspx

Posted 2 years ago #
MargL
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I've seen the problem in White Center - there are a lot of folks who seem to like to hang around in the covered parking under White Center plaza. The whole area is still kinda sketchy and it'll be interesting what having two major bars in the area (The Wall and Brewsky's) up for sale will do for the neighborhood.
I have never seen the problem in the Junction. In fact I barely knew there was a liquor store there and had no idea it was state run. I don't shop there and it completely slips my mind that it's there.
I've also never seen a problem near the store down by Trader Joe's and I'm in that area frequently. So where are all the alcoholic homeless folks walking, peeing and sleeping aside from White Center?

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
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Sleeping: Doorways in Pioneer Square. And under The Viaduct. Drive through any night after 9.

Posted 2 years ago #
westseattledood
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I wonder - why did they close the Morgan store in the first place?

Posted 2 years ago #
KBear
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Good grief. In normal states you can buy liquor in grocery stores. There aren't large numbers of street drunks hanging out there, and no one cares how close they are to schools. The state still manages to collect a hefty tax revenue, while the consumers benefit from free(er) competition. Why, oh why do the citizens of Washington put up with this Prohibition-era anachronism?

Posted 2 years ago #
JanS
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Beats me, KBear. The teens that have used the carport behind my bldg. to drink eat, vomit, etc, get their alcohol from the Adm. Safeway. It's slowed down some, but it's not the liquor store to blame. I don't understand why people against the liquor stores have no problem with elementary/middle/high schools being right across the street from grocery stores that have alcohol that is stolen by middle school/high school students.

I'm baffled. If there are so many people against this store being in WV, get together and contact the powers that be. Maybe you'll accomplish something. But tell me why you have no problem with QFC and their sale of alcohol in the same area.

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
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WSD, per our report from last year when we first learned it was closing
http://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=10032
the landlord chose not to renew the lease. Why they made that choice, I don't know - didn't pursue comment from the landlord.

Posted 2 years ago #
westseattledood
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Thx TR. It will be interesting to see if the WC is actually in line to be closed and if it is, are they looking for another WC site for it, or will the WV site be it. If the latter is the case, and if The Wall and Brewsky's close down without new owners, things could get even more interesting. That's a lot of "if's", I know, but..,,

Posted 2 years ago #
miws
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Having lived next to the Morgan store for 8+ years, I don't recall any real issues with "sketchy" people hanging out.

About the only problem I'm aware of, was the occasional customer parking in our lot.

Mike

Posted 2 years ago #
FullTilt
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I know the folks that House is talking about. They are getting their booze from the grocery store across the parking lot from the WC liquor store. They then hang out beside the building where the owner of the business does nothing to stop them. The owner of this store recently got a no interest loan to build a giant cheap malt liquor shop next to his smaller current one. 6.25 million in HUD money to create a giant malt liquor shop. http://whitecenternow.com/2009/05/28/white-center-square-groundbreaking-good-feng-shui-today/

Street drunks are not buying liquor for the most part. It is just cost prohibitive when you can get 13% malt liquor for 99 cents a can at the grocery store across the parking lot. Or any grocery store in this city really. I also doubt that the mall is going to put up with vagrants pissing on the side of Bed Bath and Beyond.

As far as what will happen with Brewskis, the rumor is that the prospective new owner wants to turn it into a casino. That is so what this neighborhood is missing.

Posted 2 years ago #
datamuse
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I haven't noticed too many homeless people, alcoholic or otherwise, walking, sleeping, or peeing around the Junction. But I don't live there so I freely admit that I might have missed them.

I do see plenty down in the ID all the time, which has no liquor stores as far as I know.

Correlation ain't causation, ya dig?

Posted 2 years ago #
TheHouse
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Kbear, you're right other states do allow liquor sales in supermarkets or allow public owned liquor stores (allows many more to exist). IMO, these are better options b/c then it spreads out the demand. People don't have only 1 or 2 choices of places to purchase.

As for The Junction, there aren't nearly as many issues as there are at WC but if WC is slated to close guess which store will be the closest to them?

FullTilt, what you're saying makes sense but there are enough peeps hanging around the liquor store in WC to conclude that at least some of them are utilizing it.

You're all entitled to your opinion, but I do not see a positive/neutral impact on WV. I would prefer for it not to open in WV.

Posted 2 years ago #
FullTilt
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So House this is a service you really want to use, but you prefer that it was not in your back yard. So which neighborhood should it be in?

Posted 2 years ago #
swimcat
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What other states have these ridiculous, archaic liquor laws? I turned 21 while living in Arizona, and took for granted that you could buy liquor at a drug store, grocery store or Costco. It was very convenient. I rarely drink liquor now, but I do use it for baking and cooking and it would be nice to have some one-stop shopping convenience when I need to purchase some. It would also alleviate the concerns of home-owners who live near the liquor stores.

Posted 2 years ago #
CMP
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Washington is on par with Kansas in terms of liquor availability which is pretty sad. I was at KU a few weeks ago and was surprised that I had to hit the liquor store (privately owned, at least) to buy some wine since it's not sold at the grocery store. And they're closed on Sundays. The only way to get booze on those days was to fill up a growler at the local brewery or drive to more liberal Missouri to stock up.

Regarding Westwood Village, someone should try to find out if there are any restrictive covenants that might prohibit a liquor store on the property. I'm sure it's recorded somewhere with the city of Seattle, if anyone is really bored and wants to find out. I don't think this is a big deal and not worth making a stink over. These stores need to go somewhere and WV is certainly a convenient spot for that area of West Seattle.

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
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Update for those interested in the side note re: the WC liquor store - talked to the LCB media unit, they in turn are checking with their leasing department, but we may not have the official answer/followup on that till tomorrow if their contacts aren't available.

Posted 2 years ago #
datamuse
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Massachusetts is similarly restrictive; I don't remember if the liquor stores are state-owned, but when I lived there you could only buy beer and wine at grocery stores, and not even that on Sundays.

Posted 2 years ago #
maplesyrup
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Can someone provide a good reason why having a state monopoly on liquor retailing is a good thing?

What about the restriction of sales on Sundays?

Posted 2 years ago #
Laconique
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Massachusetts is MUCH more ridiculously restrictive. A grocery store chain can sell beer/wine in no more than three stores in the entire state. So imagine if only 3 Safeways in the state of Washington could sell beer/wine. And it used to be even worse- you used to only be able to buy alcohol on Sundays between Thanksgiving and New Years! So asinine.

There was a ballot measure a few years ago to allow sales of beer and wine in grocery stores in MA and it was defeated based on the same arguments that people are using to oppose the WV store- that minors will have easy access to alcohol and drunks will hang around grocery and convenience stores.

Posted 2 years ago #
WSB
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Thought I'd added this earlier but apparently not. The White Center store is NOT moving or closing, per Ann at WSLCB.

Posted 2 years ago #
westseattledood
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Thx for quelching the rumors WSB.

Posted 2 years ago #
FullTilt
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"Thought I'd added this earlier but apparently not. The White Center store is NOT moving or closing, per Ann at WSLCB" Oh thank god! I was worried for a moment.

Posted 2 years ago #
JanS
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well, I guess now those people who live near WV don't have to worry about those creepy, drunk, derelict WC folks coming to their neighborhood, huh.

Oh...was that rude? I'm sorry...I'm on strong painkillers today, not responsible for what I'm sayin'...er...typing :)

Posted 2 years ago #
Trisket
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I think the new store in Westwood village is a good thing and I sleep well at night knowing liquor is controlled by the state.

Posted 2 years ago #
cclarue
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my mom just told me she was at the wc liquor store and a man begging for money came up to her car door and was pretty aggressive in his begging. she did report him to the store employees.

Posted 2 years ago #
JoB
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cclarue..

i imagine it will be a relief to your mom to have a nice safe place to buy alcohol... like Westwood Village where security will aggressively inhibit such behavior.

TheHouse...

Those who pay the premium to buy upscale alcohol in liquor stores are more likely to be a nuisance in their cars than at the curb.

With any luck, they will drive out of the neighborhood before making a nuisance of themselves..

and in the meantime they have both the means and the opportunity to spend their dollars on all the party supplies and clothing and.. that go with that alcohol purchase.

Posted 2 years ago #