The Maplewood City Council at its meeting on Tuesday gave the final OK to one new business, the initial OK to another but with things to discuss, and killed another.
With no discussion, the council gave Dana Huth and Ben Triola their conditional permit to run Mauhaus Cat Cafe and Lounge at 3101 Sutton Boulevard. Huth said after the meeting that the contractors are working quickly, and they’re aiming to open in September. Half of the location will be a cafe and half will be a place where cats — up for adoption from 10th Life Cat Rescue — will be free to roam and interact with patrons of the cafe.
Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers received the initial yes votes, but not before Councilman Shawn Faulkingham moved to table the vote because he said he had just seen the plan, including the setback variance given that day in an email, and wanted time to review it. The motion failed; the final vote and a public hearing is set for the council’s August 9 meeting.
Before the vote, John Hendel, an Ellis Avenue resident, said there is a reason for the parking setback ordinance, and doesn’t agree with allowing the restaurant to get by with a reduced setback. Resident Stephanie Scott said people in Maplewood want a walkable community, and expressed concerns about the restaurant’s accessibility to pedestrians. She also asked if the city has a comprehensive strategic plan and if it’s available to the public. Mayor Jim White said the city has one and the city manager can help her with that.
- Board of adjustment approves Raising Cane’s, amid reserved opposition
- Raising Cane’s seeks variance to build on Schaefer Shell site
Craft Beer Cellar, a craft beer shop with a Clayton location that wanted to open a second in Maplewood was denied a permit with a 5-1 vote against. Mayor White began the discussion, saying it’s basically a package liquor store — not allowed in the the Community Business District. He asked if this is allowed, what’s to stop a “craft vodka” or a “craft Scotch” shop from opening?
Councilmen David Cerven (Ward 1) and Shawn Faulkingham (Ward 3) were also opposed, but on the grounds that it’s a franchise, and not independently owned. Cerven pointed out that there is no exact definition of ‘craft beer.’ Council members Karen Wood (Ward 1) and Fred Wolf (Ward 2) didn’t comment.
Barry Greenberg (Ward 3) cast the only yes vote. Tim Dunn (Ward 2) was absent.
The craft beer shop had received unanimous approval from the Maplewood Plan and Zoning Commission, assuming an amendment to the package liquor store ordinance to not allow hard liquor, tobacco or lottery tickets.
- Some Maplewood council members on the Craft Beer Cellar vote
- Craft Beer Cellar wants Maplewood location too
By request, the council discussed increasing the number of used car business licenses allowed in the city, deciding the city has enough.
City Manager Marty Corcoran said the city had received three bids for 7440 and 7442 Zephyr Place and all were low. The council voted to reject all bids and negotiate with the two highest bidders.
The more businesses we attract, the more our community grows. This is a great addition to our city…..need to welcome this company with open arms!
Antique malls, cat cafe’s, fast food restaurants and WalMart. These are the kind of businesses that you would find in a failing rural community. To deny Craft Beer Cellar a permit is the kind of backward thinking that will continue to stifle this cities growth. It’s clear the city management thinks of this as Maplewood R.F.D. and not a viable evolving modern city.
Reading through these comments, it is clear that the council is not following the will of the people with this decision.
The next City Council meeting appears to be August 9th. I hope that anyone from this comment thread who can will join me there to voice our dissatisfaction.
Looks like you got a lot of people who like beer over there. Personally enjoy a Busch Bavarian, ice cold.
Doug –
Have you reached out for any comments from other Maplewood establishments regarding this decision?
Having only lived in Maplewood for the past 2.5 years, I am not as familiar with the history of our Mayor/Alderman — when was the last time the voted something like this down (and I don’t think McDonald’s at Big Bend/Manchester counts as the citizens did not support that and I don’t think it ever went to a vote)?
Finally – can this vote/decision be revisited?
Votes can be revisited and reversed. One instance is when the council reversed a 4-3 vote to demolish the Sutton Loop shelter (https://40southnews.com/sutton-park-pavilion-on-hold-councilman/). In a following work session the council voted 6-1 to save it (https://40southnews.com/sutton-park-shelter-will-remain-maplewood-council/)
Many thanks for this additional insight.
I’m with everyone else. Completely bizarre decision on the part of the majority of the council. The reasons given don’t even make sense. I wonder if there’s more to this story.
Totally disappointed in our elected officials ( not Barry ) CBC would have been a perfect fit here in Maplewood. Denying it because of the franchise thing is a total cover up. CVS and Raising Canes are national franchises and there was no denying them by the board.
When can we vote these people out?
Not to mention the CBC would literally be NEXT DOOR to Pizza Hut!
I just want to echo all the other comments. It’s completely absurd to deny CBC on the premise that it’s a franchise. As for the comment, “…what’s to stop a “craft vodka” or a “craft Scotch” shop from opening?” I don’t even know where to begin. How awesome would it be if a craft vodka or scotch shop actually did come to Maplewood? Do they really think these would bring vagrants, hobos and crime, just like Vom Fass did?? I’m at a loss for words on this one
Like everyone else here, I am sorely disappointed in the decision about CBC. Anyone who has spent any time in their Clayton store know that Ryan and Brandon are terrific business owners who have built the type of store we would be lucky to have here in Maplewood. I am very happy to be represented by Barry Greenberg, but have been noticing a disturbing trend in the decisions handed down by the mayor and other council members. I can only hope that others in Maplewood are paying attention and turn out to vote the next time any of these people are up for re-election.
I got the impression that Maplewood was going for impression of being a “foodie” destination. If the Clayton location is any indication, this would be a great addition to Maplewood. This vote sends a bad message for future growth.
What a disappointment, craft beer cellar would have been a great addition! Starting off the argument against with a slippery slope, time for this mayor to go. Seriously, denying a craft beer store, next thing he’ll deny a craft crafting store! Idiotic. Downtown Maplewood is becoming a destination for boutique goods – olive oil, spices, coffee, herbs, clothing… but beer, too bad
I am completely shocked at the CBC denial. This was a no-brainer for high end craft beer tourism in Maplewood along with Schlafly and Side Project. Has the mayor and council actually never been to the location in Clayton or the very high end locations in the northeast?
Larder and Cupboard does sell packaged liquor — craft beer, wine and spirits — as part of our mission to support other small producers, including many local businesses. But it is a small percentage of our total inventory of specialty foods. That’s the rule that goes along with being a part of the Maplewood Special Business district, and a business that sells only, or mostly, alcohol would need to have an exception made for them.
Time to find out which local businesses/leaders lobbied the council and mayor to vote this thing down. Serious forces had to have been at work, because this doesn’t add up.
I agree, Marc. This doesn’t add up. Since I was unable to attend the meeting, I hope to get more information regarding the “no” vote from our councilmen.
I doubt the ordinances Mr. Pelletier sited continue to serve the purpose for which they were written. The SBD is no longer in danger of being overrun with the kind of stores that drag communities down and keep them there (e.g., payday loan agencies, package liquor stores, etc.). Making an exception for the Craft Beer Store should have been our council’s first step. Amending the ordinance to reflect Maplewood’s current needs and concerns should have been the next step.
As with the other commenters, I suspect other businesses lobbied to bar a competitor from entering the market.
Everyone here would well be advised to get fully informed about the structure of city decision making and the implications of those decisions. Maplewood was a thriving community in the past and is a thriving community now–each in their own context and huge struggles in between. Some of those “old folks” are very much the source of the Renaissance of the city. Newer faces have had positive impact along the way as well–but with clear information and intentions of long term commitment. Quick criticism generally seems well easier than deeper knowledge and reliable shoulders to the the very heavy tasks required. The positive sense of community, some degree of innovation and consistency is what makes a winning team and a great city. I would hesitate to jump to extremes of judgement here.
Pickett Lema, Planning and Zoning
Well said.
As with everyone else, I was shocked on the decision because I thought it was a done deal.
Brian’s comment was merely to address the earlier comment about Larder & Cupboard, Vom Fass, and S&S selling alcohol in the SBD and to clarify what the difference was. Our craft beer and spirits are limited to a very small percentage of our inventory – we are not a packaged liquor store (predominantly alcohol of any kind that is sold still in its original unopened package). That’s the difference.
As far as CBC competitors lobbying the council members, I would suggest that you follow up with the council to see who contacted them, and see who was actually at the meeting, rather than post unfounded and inaccurate public accusations against your local businesses online.
We enjoy being in the SBD for many reasons, and believe that it is one of the reasons the area is desired by businesses and the community alike. Keep in mind that the SBD brings you all of the wonderful Maplewood events that attract customers, business, and makes it such a great community – The Sweet Tooth Tour, Coffee Crawl, Stringfest, Street Food Tour, and one of the top 10 Summer events in St. Louis, Let Them Eat Art.
Like everyone else, I also would like to know the reasoning behind the decision. I’m certain that many factors were considered, some we are completely unaware of, but none of them had to do with Larder & Cupboard.
It is very disappointing when an existing business politics to block out another trying to come in to serve the community with an awesome product that perfectly fits Maplewood’s vibe. Over the past 2 weeks any mention of Craft Beer Cellar was followed up with another existing business pointing out which beers his store offers. Those actions were childish and sad but got the result he was looking for.
Larder and Cupboard does sell packaged liquor — craft beer, wine and spirits — as part of our mission to support other small producers, including many local businesses. But it is a small percentage of our total inventory of specialty foods. That’s the rule that goes along with being a part of the Maplewood Special Business district. A business that sells only, or mostly, alcohol would need to have a special exception made for them.
You mean like Side Project Cellar? They didn’t go through any “special exceptions.” They are located in a business zone that makes no provisions for bars, public houses or taverns and expressly prohibits package liquor stores. Why are we holding the CBC to a different standard?
Q!
Who wasn’t at the meeting, since the Craft Beer Cellar vote was 5-1?
Tim Dunn was absent.
Craft Beer Cellar in Clayton is a great store and would be a great addition to Maplewood. I’m sick of the city allowing the national franchises to operate where and when they want and shun the little guy. Have the mayor and council members visited the Clayton store – my guess is no. We have bottle of the barrel fast food – White Castle, Jack in the Box, Tim Hortons along with pawn shops, Vape stores and crappy used car lots – but can’t have an upscale beer store? This mayor and most of the city council has got to go!
“Protect” the special business district and sell the rest of Maplewood to the highest bidder. When 7 (as far as I can tell) of the 8 council people live or own businesses on the east side of Maplewood, it’s clear why the west side is filled with fast food and broken roads. And the home values reflect it.
Disappointing the craft beer store didn’t get fair consideration. Shawn needed more time to consider the parking situation for fried chicken, but gave a hard no to craft beer, to be located across the street from a craft brewery!?
Also, there are generally accepted definitions of craft beer, had anyone said they’d like to look into the matter and discuss it when they were more informed, they would have been able to find that information.
I share the disappointment in the Craft Beer Cellar decision. Unfortunately, Mr. Greenberg is the only one who apparently sees the big picture. Once again, Mayor White uses a weak slippery slope argument, as he did with trans persons and bathrooms before, showing his ignorance.
Looks to me like the council is a little hung over on this one. They’ve ALREADY approved a package store in a district where such a thing is expressly PROHIBITED without so much as a variance even discussed. We make this new applicant jump through the hoops (P&Z and council review, complete with the fee required by law to ask), but other businesses asking for essentially the same thing are allowed to skate. There is a process for a reason. EVERYBODY should go through it, if for no other reason than it exposes the thought processes that drive our representatives (or lack thereof).
And the decision isn’t about whether or not a business is a franchise or not. Oh please! After QT, CVS, Tim Horton’s and Raising Cane? Seriously?
I was surprised as well, since I believe P&Z approved it unanimously.
I just left a voicemail with Mayor White expressing my extreme disappointment with the vote last night related to Craft Beer Seller. I never gave it a second thought that this would not pass so I did not attend the meeting. I hope he will return my phone call.
I wonder if any of the councilman visited the space in Clayton?
Call your councilperson as well if it is not Greenberg (the only yes). Mine is Faulkingham, who used the pretty lame excuse of franchise to vote no.
I’ve already reached out to both of them.
Can this be brought to a vote again or is it dead now?
This is a high end place that will bring Maplewood a lot of tax money…
As I understand it, the vote can be revisited.
What a stretch to say Craft Beer Cellar is “basically a package liquor store”……..something smells here…..5-1 against, really? Look at their website, it is pretty much the furthest thing from a packaged liquor store.
clayton.craftbeercellar.com/about-us/
Dear Mayor White,
Have you been to Vom Fass lately? They sell scotch and other liquor, and it’s in your town. Thought you’d like to know.
Wow, I am really surprised about Craft Beer Cellar getting a no vote–as it’s been mentioned in the comments previously, Larder and Cupboard already sells beer, and Vom Fass sells whiskey, and soon Side Project will sell beer, all to go. I don’t see much of a distinction. And of course, Shop N’ Save carries cold beer starting at about $1.50 a can.
I’m disappointed personally, because they’re a terrific store that has great service, and I think they were going to fill a need in the area. Their customer base isn’t one looking for a cheap way to get booze, they’re looking for high end products.