NEW SALES BREW-ING
ROYAL FARMS LOOKS TO OFFER SALES OF SUDS AT RIDLEY STORE
Royal Farms is seeking permission to offer beer sales at its Ridley location. It is obtaining a license from a closed eatery. Right now the only other convenience store in Delco to offer beer sales is the Wawa store on Naamans Creek Road in Concord.
RIDLEY » Royal Farms looks like it’s ready to leap into the beer biz. At least at one location in Delaware County. The convenience story known for its fried chicken wants to offer suds to wash it down with at its Ridley location on Stewart Avenue.
If the board of commissioners approve the request, the liquor license from Campbell’s Boat House, Inc. in Upper Providence will have a new home at the Royal Farms convenience store and gas station at 105 S. Stewart Ave. Campbell’s is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a larger Wawa at the intersection of Route 252 and the Media ByPass.
Attorney Jonathan Jordan made the case for the inter-municipal transfer of the liquor license at a public hearing Thursday night. Jordan told the commissioners that Royal Farms wants to sell beer and wine for take-out and for consumption inside the store in a small seating area. He said the policy of the company is to allow just one alcoholic drink if a patron is drinking inside the store.
“It is not a place for a ‘night on the town,’” Jordan said.
No open containers are allowed to be carried outside to the picnic tables. For take out, two six packs of beer or four bottles of wine would be the limit.
Right now the only convenience store in Delaware County to feature beer sales is the Wawa on Naamans Creek Road at Route 202 in Concord. Wawa had to completely renovate and redesign the store to satisfy the state requirement for a separate section of the store used for beer sales and adequate seating to meet the restaurant requirement.
Royal Farms already has seating inside its Ridley location.
Jordan immediately sought to ease residents’ concerns about any underage drinking at the location.
“Royal Farms ‘cards’ everybody who appears to be under the age of 40,” Jordan said, adding that there will be a separate cash register for alcoholic beverage sales.
According to Jordan, beer sales will be allowed between 7 a.m. and 2 a.m., but wine sales will stop at 11 p.m.
Jordan apparently answered any questions the commissioners would have in his presentation. Bob Willert, president of the commissioners, noted that the location of a liquor license on Stewart Avenue where Royal Farms is located meets the township distance requirements from any school or house of worship. The location is not in close proximity to any residential neighborhood.
Commissioner Nancy Robert was assured by Jordan that anyone seeking to buy beer or wine will be asked for identification if they appear to be under the age of 40.
Jordan said Royal Farms has 13 stores in Pennsylvania and is headquartered in Baltimore, MD. There are 180 stores in the family-owned company founded in 1959. The company stores sell beer and wine at their locations in Maryland and Virginia. It is believed the company also has an application in for beer sales at a store in Montgomery County.
Willert told Jordan the commissioners will announce its decision at the board’s regular meeting Dec. 20.