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Date: 4/11/2023
BELCHERTOWN — After hearing from each store, the Select Board unanimously approved granting the town’s fourth all-alcohol license to Checker’s General Store and Deli at 2 Stadler St.
Checker’s currently has a beer and wine license but has been approved to start selling liquor with the license.
Belchertown is allowed to have a certain number of full alcohol licenses based on the population.
The town was only allowed to grant three licenses up to this point, but after a 2020 census revealed the population grew to over 15,000 people, it was granted another license to award.
The Select Board hosted a public hearing with Country Crossroads Convenience, Checker’s General Store and Deli and Town Mart at its April 3 meeting to determine who would receive the new license.
The Select Board took the different aspects of each business into account when deciding who to give the final license to like if the applicant is a current beer-and-wine only license holder, how long they have had the license, have there been any violations with the store, are all employees Training for Intervention ProcedureS certified, the system that is used to verify the age of buyers the location, proximity to other licensed establishments and more.
Attorney Rich Maynard of Belchertown represented Checkers.
He said, “I think Checker’s really is the one distinguishable from the other two applicants. I think it is a historical property in the town with a deli that has been there, the merchandise that has been there and the beer and wine that has been there. It has been an institution in town for a lengthy period of time.”
Maynard said that the store also checked all the boxes in terms of criteria at which the Select Board members were looking.
“We have parking, easy access and the size of the store that would allow for the addition of this product,” Maynard added.
Select Board members were split on whether they should grant a license at all based on the public expressing little need for another liquor package store.
Select Board Chair Jim Barry added, “I think we should proceed because it looks like we have three applicants who are willing to move forward.”
When deciding which store to choose, the Select Board members expressed that all three stores were worthy of receiving the license but the deciding factor came down to the geographic location of Checker’s compared to Country Crossroads and Town Mart.
Select Board member Jen Turner said, “I live on the west side of town and it is not serviced. There is nothing over there so if I was to pick based on proximity and geographic location [Checker’s] is where I would be leaning towards.”
Village Package Store, on 16 Federal St., currently has an all-alcohol liquor license and is located less than 500 feet from Country Crossroads and Town Mart.
The owners of Village Package Store were in attendance and expressed that since they purchased the package store in 1989, the demographics of the town has changed limiting their ability to carry many products because they sell a lower quantity of a specific item.
For example, the store used to go through two cigarette orders a week which is approximately 250 cartons but now said they are lucky to receive 20 cartons in a week.
Checker’s General Store and Deli only has one liquor store within a mile of it.
Select Board members Ed Boscher and Peg Louraine also expressed that they thought Checker’s was the best spot based on parking, their location in town and the overall geographic location.
The Select Board unanimously agreed to award Checker’s General Store and Deli the fourth all-alcohol license.
Select Board member Ron Aponte said, “Just last week we were talking about being pro-business and trying to increase our business tax base. This is a case where we can do that. We can increase our business tax base to help offload some of the tax burden for the owners.”