On Saturday a new liquor store, Bay Liquor & Wine, is celebrating its grand opening at the old gas station nook on Knapp Street and Harkness Avenue. Normally I’d be more then happy to welcome a new business to the neighborhood, but when I saw it was another liquor store it got me thinking: Just how many liquor stores do we have in the neighborhood? Didn’t a new one open not more then six months ago at Gerritsen Avenue and Avenue U? And shortly before that on Avenue Z near East 13th Street? I realized we have a whole lot of stores in the area peddling their libations.
Just to give you an idea, here is a short list of places you’ll find liquor stores; GI Liquor World 1709 Voorhies Avenue, Alik Liquor & Wine 1501 Sheepshead Bay Road, The Wine Village 3827 Nostrand Avenue, Tops 2816 Nostrand Avenue, Abyb Liquor 1608 Gravesend Neck Road, and the list goes on. I’m not kidding, it really does.
With all those stores in mind, take a note of the following statistic: Although citywide DWI’s fell 3.4 percent, “The most reckless drivers in Brooklyn are from the southern neighbhorhoods, such as Midwood and Sheepshead Bay, where DWI arrests are up 2.5 percent. Drivers in Sheepshead Bay’s 61st Precinct racked up the most DWI arrests last year – 258, up from 180 in 2007.” And there’s no shortage of alcohol-related accidents around here.
In a part of the city where we already have so many liquor stores, not to mention all the bars and convenience stores that sell alcohol, and where the DWI rate is increasing every year, do we really need yet another store selling alcohol? I’m the last person to suggest that someone should be prevented from opening an honest business and living their life but where exactly do we draw the line? How long before we’re drowning in vodka, and showering in Hennessy?
Readers I want to take a moment here to beg of you: please don’t drink and drive. As some of you may know I drive car service for a living and I can promise you, I’ve seen some truly horrific wrecks due to drunk drivers. Protect yourselves, protect your families, and do the right thing. Bay Liquors, I wish you luck, but not too much.
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I believe there are some liquor stores in the nabe that are not even listed there!
Let’s think hard, Arthur, there’s got to be some kind of interesting and incredibly siimple “solution” for some of the problems facing us with regard to drinking and lives lost. I will keep thinking and encourage you and the readers to write in with ideas.
Ocean ave and ave W
Ave V 1 block off coyle st.
Just what the movie theater needs, people sneaking in bottles from next door.
I’m sure the hotel will be happy.
Why is it supermarkets sell only beer?
yes I was really surprised when I saw the new store by UA was a liquor store. really? why do we need a liquor store there? wine village is right there couple blocks down! I thought liquor stores need the approval of the neighborhood before opening up?
I was wondering when Arthur was going to get “hired”!
Best of luck!
The UA theater must be in agony over this. The liquor store is practically inviting sales to moviegoers, as it’s at the turn.
But as long as it is not near a school or religious institution there isn’t much that could stop them.
I wonder if supermarkets have chosen not to apply for liquor licenses because it’s a nuisance. Or maybe it was part of the legislation in the 1930s that was supposed to keep supermarkets from getting too powerful.
Seeing how the businesses are coming.. perhaps whats next is a .99 cent liquor store. Who doesn’t think that would be a success.
::lightbulb goes off above head::
Looks like I know how I’m going to continue to fund Sheepshead Bites.
35 years ago that was Homecrest Liquors. A bottle of the worst muscatel for 99¢.
I wonder if oner can still buy wine for 99 cents.
Oh well, Ned is looking into this, so we’ll know soon.
And of course, all of us are going to help. After all we all want this blog to succeed.
Why I’m sure tha even Lew will put in a few hours behind the counter. Gene too. See, we’ve achieved bi-partisanism.
Hey I stopped by this liquor store, and I must admit, the people there are VERY nice. The prices are very very reasonable and its very inviting and the staff is very friendly. It was a pleasure shopping at that store because I trully felt welcome there. They offered free gifts on all purchases. I dont see what the complains are about. Great store. Happy to have them in the neighborhood.
Christina:
Nobody, least of all me, is complaining about this specific business. I’m not advocating they be closed either. Everyone deserves a chance to run their own business, to make a living, to provide for their families and customers as supply and demand dictates.
However, all things are best in moderation. This store is already open, and they should stay if they do enough sales. What I’m saying is that the city or state agency granting liquor licenses should examine an area’s saturation of similar businesses and DWI numbers before granting any more licenses. We simply have too many liquor stores in Sheepshead Bay. When you start counting stores in the neighboring area’s, and all the bars and supermarkets that also sell liquor it’s simply too much.
Do you understand the point I’m making? It applies to ANY business providing ANY service, not just Alcohol and Liquor. Do we need any more fast food joints in the area? How about 99c stores?
I’m sure the people that own/run the new store on Knapp are wonderful and hard working people and I’m not suggesting they be run out of town, nor any other business that’s already open. But I do strongly recommend that no more are given a rubber stamp to open. Especially when you consider that every new store selling the same thing dilutes business for the others, AND considering Sheepshead has the highest DWI numbers in Brooklyn.
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