Contributing Writer
How many liquor stores does one community need? There is an adage that says there is a liquor store and a church on every corner in the Black and Brown community. Ironic that this adage doesn’t include schools and community centers. If it did there might not be three stores with type 21 liquor licenses lined up within one block of each other on National Avenue in Barrio Logan. One Type 21 liquor license on each block is over kill according to community activist, Charles Alexander. That is why Mr. Alexander a long with Black Men United and other community service organizations and community leaders are calling on The Department of Alcohol and Beverage Control to stop handing out liquor licenses without deep consideration for the families, schools, churches and community service organizations surrounding the licensed establishments.
A Type 21 liquor license gives an establishment the privilege to sell beer, wine, and distilled spirits for consumption off the premises where it is sold. There are two stores less than a quarter mile from one another that have recently applied for these licenses. They are Eduardo’s on National Avenue and the store with the newest liquor license, Neighborhood Market, formerly named Lou’s Market, is situated less than a block from 2 elementary schools and is surrounded by community churches, and a department of corrections rehabilitation center. That explains why these liquor licenses have sparked such controversy in Barrio Logan. The California Department of Alcohol Beverage Control’s decision to grant an alcohol license to Barrio Logan’s Neighborhood Market has provoked opposition among neighborhood residents. Mr. Alexander is so opposed to this new cluster of stores having these licenses that he filed an appeal that could possibly have their privileges to sell alcohol and distilled spirits tied up in red tape for years. Apparently, the idea of this caused some unrest in Neighborhood Market’s owner, Robert Zakar.
After filing the appeal, Mr. Alexander received a personal, unannounced visit at his private residence from a man claiming to be the owner of Neighborhood Market. The man’s card, complete with a photograph identified him as Robert Zakar, owner of East County Mortuary. The man verbally introduced himself as the owner of Neighborhood Market. The proprietor asked Mr. Alexander what could be done to make the appeal go away. Mr. Alexander did not have an answer to this question. He chose to focus on what was most important to him, his community.
Based on Mr. Alexander’s account of this very uncomfortable visit, he explained to Mr. Zakar that citizens are concerned about Neighborhood Market’s very close proximity to two grade schools, a community church, and The Department of Corrections Rehab. He let him know that opponents regard the opening of another alcohol outlet in Barrio Logan as counter intuitive to efforts focused on improving the quality of life in their family-centered, culturally-diverse community. Mr. Alexander’s recollection of Mr. Zakar’s visit made it clear that Mr. Zakar seemed more concerned for his liquor license than he was for the citizens of Barrio Logan. Therefore, protests lead by Charles Alexander and Black Men United and its allies ensued and the appeal will not be going away any time soon. On top of the large turnout at Neighborhood Market, there was another protest that happened a block away opposing the Type 21 liquor license at Eduardo’s. Mr. Alexander appealed Eduardo’s liquor license 2 years ago. Subsequently, their liquor license sat in limbo for 2 years. He is now planning to take the same measures with both Eduardo’s and Neighborhood Market to keep each license held up during what could be a very long appeal process and hopefully have their privileges to sell alcohol in Barrio Logan revoked.
