Lake County Gazette

At its March 28 meeting, the Libertyville Village Board approved a proposal to introduce a new category of liquor license aimed at enabling a local small business to expand its product offerings. 

William Seitz, who owns The Car Spa at 540 Peterson Road, requested permission to sell sealed wine and beer from his store strictly for off-site consumption. Seitz stated that this initiative was his response to the challenges faced by gas stations and convenience stores as a result of decreased traffic due to work-from-home arrangements, increased fuel taxes, and heightened competition.

"While some of our offerings we have tried have helped a little bit. We need more. We need more options for the customers to set us apart from other businesses," Seitz said. "One constant thing that we hear from our customers is the ability to purchase packaged alcohol, beer and wine, as kind of a one-stop shop for them. I believe this will not only increase our revenues, but give new and existing customers another reason to visit our store. As I read through the ordinance proposed, I feel we will have no problem following it to the letter."

An ordinance for the council to consider was drafted by the city staff, proposing the implementation of a new Class M liquor license. This license would permit the sale of beer and wine only, excluding hard liquor, and would strictly prohibit on-site consumption. 

To regulate alcohol sales, the license would require that beer be sold in 4-packs or larger and a minimum quantity for wine. Additionally, liquor displays would be limited to no more than 25% of the total retail space. The sale of alcohol would be permitted between 6 a.m. and midnight, and all transactions would have to be conducted through point-of-sale equipment that scans customer IDs to verify their age. 

Seitz expressed his gratitude for the approval of the council, and promised his business would be doing everything exactly as the city directed. He assured them that the system would be flawless, just like the cigarette and lottery ticket sales that have not had a single infraction since his business started selling them.