Neighbors oppose alcohol permit application in Spanish Town

Spanish Town residents are gearing up for a showdown with the new owners of the Spanish Town Market, who have applied to the state for a permit to sell packaged liquor at the corner grocery store. Though Taylor Blanche, who bought the former Capitol Grocery earlier this year and has since changed its name—says he only plans to stock wine, not hard liquor, longtime residents of the historic neighborhood are worried that allowing sales of wine will let the camel’s nose under the tent. “We’ve cleaned this neighborhood up,” says property owner and resident Darryl Gissel. “We’re protective of it. We’ve been through this before. We don’t want to have to do it again.” Blanche says his renovated grocery, which has improved its prepared food offering and upgraded its merchandise, will not be a liquor store, adding that wine won’t attract drug addicts and homeless to the streets of Spanish Town. “Realistically, it doesn’t work that way,” he says. “People think if we sell a few more items we will have a huge wave of people we don’t want in this neighborhood. If in 2014 we can’t responsibly sell anything with an alcohol content higher than 6% then no one should be able to sell anything downtown.” Blanche says obtaining the permit is not critical to his business plan, though he will continue to pursue it, if denied this time. “We’ve been denied before,” he says. The state Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control will decide the issue later this month. —Stephanie Riegel