St. Charles considering allowing alcohol consumption in grocery stores
Sipping on a glass of wine or beer while shopping for groceries could enhance the culinary experience for customers, one St. Charles store owner says.
But aldermen are divided on a proposed change to the city's liquor code that would accommodate such a concept.
The Blue Goose Market has proposed creating a wine bar where shoppers could sit and order an alcoholic beverage, or carry a drink around the store with them. CEO Paul Lencioni also requested allowing liquor to be served on the outdoor patio, where the supermarket occasionally holds cookout events.
With the addition of a wine bar, Lencioni said, Blue Goose customers will be able to taste the store's product and become "immersed in food culture." The idea has been adopted by various specialty grocers such as Mariano's, Whole Foods and Angelo Caputo's Fresh Markets.
"You have the opportunity to earn customers' understanding and respect, and to change how they see the experience of having a meal," Lencioni said. "It's just looking for an opportunity to show elevated expertise (and) elevated cultural experiences."
To fulfill the Blue Goose's request and attract potential new businesses, police Chief James Keegan proposed updating the city's ordinances to allow beer, wine or spirits to be sold and consumed in supermarkets. The measure, modeled after similar laws in Carol Stream and Bloomingdale, would be restricted to stores with a primary purpose of selling groceries rather than other merchandise, per state law.
Aldermen acting as a government operations committee Tuesday voted 4-3 on the liquor code change, which requires the cocktails to be sold within a designated area of the store. The city council is expected to consider the proposal next month.
Though not opposed to Lencioni's plan, Aldermen Rita Payleitner and Maureen Lewis said they would rather the ordinance exclude spirits and permit only beer and wine.
"I think it's opening a big door, one that we should be tiptoeing in first," Payleitner said.
Lewis also questioned where the city would draw the line between a grocer and a general merchandiser, should other businesses be interested in implementing a similar idea.
Alderman Ron Silkaitis also voted against the measure, saying he believes drinking laws would be a "nightmare to enforce" if open alcohol is allowed throughout a store. "It's just a concept I'm not comfortable with right now," he said.
However, Alderman Lora Vitek said the proposal puts St. Charles ahead of the curve and allows businesses to remain competitive with those in other communities. She and Silkaitis both sit on the liquor control commission, which voted 2-2 on the code change.
Lencioni said the supermarket environment isn't conducive to high levels of alcohol consumption and doesn't pose a social risk. The wine bar offers an innovative and sophisticated experience that could include dining, shopping or socializing, he said.
A trained employee will supervise the area where liquor is served, Lencioni said, and food also will be available to order.
As chairman of the government operations committee, Alderman Todd Bancroft did not cast a vote, but he applauded Blue Goose for what he said was a progressive idea.
"This is indicative of where all retail is going to go, and that is experiential," he said. "I think you need to continue to evolve and be experiential in your real estate strategy, even for a grocery store. That's just the reality we live in."