Overview:
The Selectboard in Athol has voted to draft a Home Rule Petition to seek five additional beer and wine licenses, which will then go to the state Legislature for approval. The move is in response to an appeal from representatives of Larry's Variety to expand the number of licenses, and the board's meeting on Feb. 17 heard arguments that the limit on beer and wine licenses is restricting consumer spending in Athol, causing people to travel to neighboring towns to purchase these products. However, one local store owner, George Patel, opposed the legislation, saying that granting a beer and wine license to a nearby store would dilute his customer base.
ATHOL – The Selectboard has voted to draft a Home Rule Petition for the Annual Town Meeting to seek five additional beer and wine licenses.
Should ATM approve the legislation, it will then to go the state Legislature.
At a meeting earlier this month, following an appeal from representatives of Larry’s Variety to expand the number of licenses, the board asked Town Manager Shaun Suhoski to look into the process for doing so. At the board’s meeting on Feb. 17, Suhoski said that he asked Planning and Development Director Eric Smith to look at the issue to determine if there might be an economic argument for the increase.
Smith referenced the owners of Maynard-based Art’s Specialties, a specialty gourmet shop, who had inquired about opening a store in Athol.
“They do specialty beer and wine and spirits, but once they found out there was no such license available to them, their interest in Athol was off the table, because that’s something that’s part of their business model,” Smith said. “Think of Petersham Country Store, think of New Salem General Store – those places do sell some type of beer and wine as part of their business.”
“So,” said Suhoski, following on Smith’s comments, “we don’t have the ability to attract specialty or niche stores.”
Speaking on behalf of Larry’s at the Feb. 17 meeting, Steffi Patel said she and her brother Om had done some research related to business in small towns.
“The number one thing we found was how people tend to migrate out of our towns, or towns like ours, when a state like New Hampshire, which is right next door, has no sales tax,” Steffi Patel said. “When we have limits on certain products, people tend not to spend money in small businesses and they go somewhere else. This is what we saw when the flavored tobacco ban went into effect, and when the state banned the menthol.”
Reading from a prepared statement, Steffi Patel said the limit on beer and wine licenses is restricting consumer spending in Athol.
“When people can’t purchase these products locally, they simply travel to neighboring towns, resulting in the loss in revenue from not only alcohol sales, but also from all related retail purchases,” she said.
The partner/manager of Country Mart, Mihir Vyas, also spoke in favor of the board sending a Home Rule Petition to expand the number of licenses. Vyas argued that Athol has grown over the past decade into a community that attracts increasing numbers of visitors pursuing tourism and outdoor recreational activities. His store, he said, is the leading supplier of disc golf supplies for 25 miles around.
“Especially in summer, they are looking for beer and wine,” he said. “Offering them beer and wine would give them one-stop service.”
Vyas also presented the board with a petition signed by more than 70 people in support of additional beer and wine licenses.
George Patel, owner of nearby Country Convenience, said he opposed the legislation. Turned down for a full liquor license several years ago, he later acquired one for beer and wine sales. The granting of a beer and wine license to Country Mart, less than one-tenth of a mile away, he said, would dilute his customer base. He noted that the ban on many tobacco products had “really cut down on our revenues,” and was concerned an expansion of beer and wine licenses would further impact his profits.
Board member Brian Dodge had questions regarding the distribution of any new licenses added to the town’s inventory. Speaking to George Patel’s concerns, he noted that if the Legislature did grant Athol the new licenses, they would not be reserved for any business in particular.
“I think, generally, it would turn on the first (applications) in,” Town Counsel John Barrett said. “You might want to take into consideration the geography, because generally you’re trying to provide for the convenience of the public. You might have someone applying for a beer and wine license and there’s a store a tenth of a mile away and that might not be appropriate. On the other hand, if you’re in an area with a concentration of population it might be appropriate. It’s all done on a case-by-case basis.”
The Selectboard voted unanimously to have Suhoski draft an article for the upcoming ATM warrant seeking a Home Rule Petition to expand the beer and wine licenses by five. The board will review the proposal at its meeting on March 3.