Photo: QueensPost
March 1, 2014 By Christian Murray
A liquor store is opening at 41-26 Greenpoint Avenue—despite four similar stores going before the State Liquor Authority trying to deny the owner a license.
The store, called Blue Z Liquor, had a tough road getting its license—since just months before the same group of local liquor stores ganged up and were able to convince the SLA to deny the license of an applicant seeking to open a store on 46th Street, which would have been 5,000 square feet.
Blue Z Liquor, which will be 2,400 square feet (including its basement), is likely to open soon. While construction workers were unable to provide an opening date, the shelves were up and the store looked close to being complete.
The owner of Blue Z Liquor was able to get the liquor license by convincing the SLA that the store would not cause undue hardship on its competitors and there was a population that needed to be served. The applicant who sought a license on 46th Street was denied a license after being told: “the size of the [new] store is overwhelming compared to the size of the existing stores.”
Four local liquor stores went before the SLA in opposition to Blue Z Liquor—led by High Spirits Wine & Liquors (located at 44-18 Greenpoint Ave.)—but failed in their quest.
