Clarke Avenue alcohol application brings out opposition for second time in four years

ALBANY – An alcohol license request for a convenience store in east Albany drew opposition on Monday from speakers who claimed allowing beer and wine sales at the 1515 Clarke Ave. location would be a detriment to the community.

The commission denied a license for the location in October 2021 in a 5-2 vote as protesters held signs outside the commission chambers. That denial came during a period when residents were complaining about the concentration of stores selling beer, wine and liquor in distressed neighborhoods.

“Here we go again,” former City Commissioner Bobby Coleman, who spoke in opposition to the application, said. “Same location, same application and same situation. People stood up the last time they applied for a license at this location. It’s the same old doo-doo with a different role of tissue.”

Albany resident Jerome Lowery told commissioners that in his time previously serving on an east Albany neighborhood watch group and as a public safety patrol officer he witnessed the deleterious impacts on neighborhoods of the city’s abundance of establishments selling alcohol.

“We don’t need another place that sells alcohol,” he said. “If we really want to help our police officers, our first responders, we would deny it. I’ve seen what these establishments do in these neighborhoods.”

There are more than 30 businesses that sell alcohol in east Albany, James Harper, who spoke against approval of the license, said.

“East Albany has lost a lot,” he said. “It’s not going to help in reversing that with alcohol establishments. It’s not going to grow east Albany.”

In looking to make the area better and more prosperous, more alcohol is not the answer, said the Rev. Calvin Rollins, pastor at St. Paul Baptist Church.

“We’re trying to get businesses in our area that don’t have anything to do with alcohol,” he said. “We like businesses. We just don’t like anything that has to do with alcohol or (drug) paraphernalia.

“We’re trying to do what we can to encourage people to look at their homes, their circumstances (and) to make it better.”

The commission is scheduled to vote on the application later this month.

Staff Photo: Alan MauldinAlanMauldin[email protected]
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