The Maplewood City Council on Tuesday voted 6-1 against allowing Craft Beer Cellar, with a store in Clayton, to operate a second location in Maplewood at 7415 Manchester Road. Council members gave several reasons for voting against it, including fear of similar stores wanting to open and objecting to it’s being a chain.
Some of the arguments given at the meeting:
Mayor Jim White:
“This is a liquor store, by any other name. If we grant this we’re setting a huge precedent, because the next person or entrepreneur will come in has a craft vodka store, with 500 flavored vodkas. And of course if we give the first one we have to give the second one. And then the Scotch entrepreneur comes in and does the same thing. So I’m opposed to this ordinance. I think this craft beer is a liquor store, and I will not vote for this.”
Shawn Faulkingham:
“I’ll concur, for some different reasons. I think it’s important, the SBD ordinances, as they have been crafted allow for entrepreneurership of mom and pops in that particular area” — not a “national chain.”
David Cerven:
“I agree. The issue that I have, the ordinance has been changed. That it’s not directed at some national chains, just the fact that it happens right now for a national chain. The CBD is a unique area that aught to be, is a little fluid, but at this point…I feel like that’s a place that really identifies our uniqueness. You’ve got to be careful with this type of thing.”
Barry Greenberg:
“The idea is to replace the stipulations on the store, so I don’t feel it’s a typical liquor store that sells tobacco or lottery tickets.”
David Cerven:
“The other thing I’m a little uncomfortable with. The word ‘craft beer’ — where’s the hard line for what that actually means? Is there an actual definition of craft beer that I don’t know about?”
City Manager Marty Corcoran:
“Without doing a little research I can’t answer that — the true definition of craft beer. For example, Goose Island started out as what you and I would refer to as a craft beer. It’s now owned by InBev. Is it still a craft beer?”
Council members Karen Wood and Fred Wolf didn’t comment. Tim Dunn was absent.
Tuesday, August 9 – next city council meeting:
We need some locals to show up and let them know our thoughts on this face to face. I hope to see some of you all there.
Are meetings not the Second and Fourth Tuesday of the month? There’s not one on the 26th? I might be completely off base. Either way I’ll be there.
In the summer the city council meets once a month.
uring the summer, it is only once a month.
I agree with most of the comments above. This was a poor decision made by those we depend on to bring jobs and revenue to our city. I’d invite the mayor to visit the Craft Beer Cellar in Clayton before making any additional ignorant comparisons to a typical “liquor store”.
Expecting Mayor White to stop making ignorant comparisons is like expecting pigs to stop flying.
Good enough for Clayton but not for Maplewood? Yeah, that makes sense!
Is this what happens when you have a city management more concerned about diefying a deceased fire fighter with money they don’t have while Big Bend is in the worst condition it’s been in for fifty years.
Way to go again amateurs, I think it’s time you all got another job.
The reference to the condition of Big Bend is irrelevant since it is owned and maintained by St. Louis County. Most of the memorial is being paid for by private donations. You can review the City’s budget at:
http://mo-maplewood.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/896
and then you can draw more informed conclusions concerning the manner in which the City is being run.
The question is: Does yet another beer seller dilute (cannibalize) Maplewood’s current beer makers/sellers to the point that their existence would be in jeopardy, or does another beer seller continue to build on Maplwood’s already strong reputation as a mecca across St. Louis for cool and unique foods & merchandise?
I’m inclined to believe the latter, but I’m not a marketing expert so I can’t answer. I’m disappointed however that none of the council’s comments indicated an understanding of this pivotal question.
As a 15+ year resident of Maplewood, I am concerned to witness the 7400 block of Manchester (between Sutton and Big Bend) grossly lag in revitalization when compared to the rest of downtown. So if I was a council member I would support any new or unique business on that block.
Nancy Thompson says that there needs to be diversity in the type of stores that are coming. What about having another chicken restaurant when there are numerous others within the same vicinity? Where’s the diversity there?
My quote was concerning placing, not replacing, stipulations on the business to ensure that the business would follow a business model that would differentiate it from the type of liquor store we don’t want in the central business district. I feel that Craft Beer Cellars would fit in and enhance our downtown and we don’t have to “throw the baby out with the bath water.”
Thanks Barry. In all of this you seemed to be the sole voice of reason. Whereas the mayor and the rest of the council seemed uninformed, unwilling to think out of their box, and worst of all, unecessarily and unreasonably hostile to this proposal. It’s really disturbing to see this vote because it makes it pretty clear the council does not understand the wants of the community.
I believe you had the most insightful response to this matter. I’m glad at least one council member was open minded. The people who run CBC are great and would be a fine addition to our community.
The point that is in danger of being lost is that the city of Maplewood has treated two similarly situated business very differently. The Side Project wasn’t required to go through the P&Z process, even though the business district they are located in (Community Business) expressly prohibits package stores and has no allowed use for a pubs or taverns or public houses. At the very least there should have been a conditional use hearing for the Side Project–a chance for P&Z to develop the same prerequisites that CBC was held to. Then there would have been a record of how other applicants were managed that would have helped to inform the present case.
Bottom line: CBC wasn’t afforded the same deal as other artisan brewers. Bad.
There is a process for a reason. The public involvement we’re seeing in 40SouthNews is precisely what the Zoning process is designed to facilitate. When that process is bypassed, the citizens of Maplewood are denied their right to speak and to be heard, which puts the council in the uncomfortable position of voting on something that hasn’t been fully vetted.
Q!
Well said! I think it’s clear no one on the panel has ever been to CBC Clayton. It would have made a great addition to our community.
I don’t drink beer – craft or otherwise. 😉 I have seen downtown Maplewood go from dark and dreary to trendy and cool and I LOVE the transformation. One of the key elements of that transformation has been what are called “destination” stores and shops – places people want to go -and Schlafly led the way. Craft Beer Cellars could easily become another Maplewood destination store, and I’m all in favor of bringing more people to our wonderful business district. As for opening the door to a craft vodka store… well, if one shows up and passes P&Z, why not? It’s not like anybody can open an alcohol-related business without going through P&Z and the City Council, right? Let CBC come, I say. Let them come.
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.
The comparison to Goose Island is both blind and dumbfounding. Goose Island started as independent craft brewery that then sold to InBev after the Budweiser purchase, thus no longer making it a craft brewery. CBC, as a result of this, does not sell Goose Island, and that included the very popular Bourbon County Brand Stout, of which they could make a killing on. I would implore the city council members to visit the CBC in Clayton and understand that they’re not your typical liquor store, especially when it comes to tobacco and lottery tickets. This is the type of business that would thrive in and help Maplewood.
This seems to me to be a very good decision on the part of our elected officials. I don’t think it’s pertinent whether this is a chain store or not, because as others have pointed out, we have multi-unit shops already in downtown Maplewood. What is relevant, however, is the need for diversity in the types of stores we have, and to be blunt, we have enough beer coming to that block already. We can already buy plenty of craft beer at Larder & Cupboard and Shop N Save. Let’s have a variety of businesses, especially in such close proximity to a residential neighborhood. It’s important though to start to have some well-considered written policies to keep us out of legal trouble.
Sorry, but there is not “We can already buy plenty of craft beer at Larder & Cupboard and Shop N Save”. There is no where in Maplewood to find a great selection of craft beer.
Also note, that Maplewood has basically become a beer tourism destination thanks to Side Project. And that’s a good thing.
Right! As Doug Tweeted yesterday, he heard from an Uber driver that someone from Connecticut wanted to visit Side Project–that’s a common thing. Side Project’s beers are sought after like few others in the world. And they’re made right here!
Especially with the production facility of Side Project coming soon, people are coming to Side Project to drink their beer. Lots of them, from around the country on a regular basis. Those same people would love to buy other beers only sold locally. Shop N Save and Larder and Cupboard offer some, but a store devoted to high-quality beer would absolutely thrive in downtown Maplewood, and I think it would help bring people to the area, and the other stores, not cut in to sales of existing businesses.
Last time I was at Side Project, the guy sitting next to me drove from Iowa just to try their beer. It’s really incredible that we have one of the best breweries in the world in our neighborhood.
Anyway yes, Shop n Save and Larder have some beers, but not an outstanding selection. I would love to spend my money in Maplewood, but at the moment, I have to go elsewhere to find the beers I’m looking for.
This no vote is such a mistake and the council member’s comments are embarrassing.
I emailed the council members about the decision, and if you feel strongly, I would suggest you (and the others here) do the same.
Here is a link to the City of Maplewood page with all of the email contacts:
cityofmaplewood.com/index.aspx?nid=67
This is deeply disappointing and based on the quotes here, it’s clear that those who voted against it did so without doing the proper research into the business or market of craft beer. CBC is extremely upscale and anyone who is paying attention to the latest trends knows that craft beer is the new wine. I wonder if the vote would have been the same if a franchised upscale wine shop was applying? After all, Vom Fass is allowed to operate here and they are a chain spirit and wine store.
We frequently shop at CBC in Clayton, it’s on Ladue/Maryland just a few doors down from Simons. It’s one of the nicest craft beer shops in St. Louis. And our elected officials think Our Maplewood CBD is too good for it?? The proposed location is next to the Pizza Hut for goodness sake. These are the types of businesses we should be courting and trying to get into Maplewood. I’m embarrassed at how our councilmen and mayor spoke about CBC and the market of craft beer (with the exception of Barry, who is consistently the voice of reason). When is the next council meeting so we can make our voices heard?
Well, put, Laine. I agree with everything you have said here.
there is already a shop that is a chain and sells bottled liquor in Maplewood- Vom Fass, and that store has worked out well for the community as far as I can tell. CBC already has a shop in Clayton and it’s clear what type of business they are. I don’t see any conflict with Maplewood community standards, and as a frequent shopper in Maplewood, I was looking forward to a CBC presence in Maplewood.
CBC would not be a liquor store. It would sell the same products as Shop n Save, Schlafly Bottleworks, the upcoming Side Project brewery and other local businesses sell. There is a clear division in many laws between beer and liquor and I fail to see any problem here.
I am hopeful that this issue will be revisited. While I believe that Mayor White and City Council are looking to do what is best for Maplewood – and hey have done many great things to make this an attractive community where I choose to purchase a home 2.5 years ago – I believe that their decision on Tuesday was misguided and misinformed.
I’ve already had an exchange with one of my councilmen – Tim Dunn – who was absent on Tuesday – and encourage all residents who care about this issue to do the same with their respective councilmen. I also have a message out to Mayor White and I look forward to having the opportunity to speak with him.
I called the Beer Seller today and spoke with Ryan, who is a co-owner. I do not know Ryan nor Brandon personally; however, I have frequented their Clayton business. They shared that they were as surprised by the vote as well but that they intend to continue the conversation with Maplewood. Ryan shares that have been looking to open a store in Maplewood for two years as they recognize and want to be pet of our thrivin community.
If I understand correctly, while technically a franchise, Brandon and Ryan are the sole owners of Beer Seller. It is not a “company store” and they are independent to operate as they choose. They are the local small business owner that Maplewood looks to promote and encourage.
When you look at our downtown, there are a number of boutique stores that are franchises – Vom Fass and Great Harvest Bread Company to name two. Penzys, which is an outstanding community partner, is a one of 75 company stores owned by the Bill Penzy. I don’t think anyone would argue that those three stores don’t contribute to our thriving downtown business district.
In my mind, and many of my neighbors agree, the Beer Seller would be a wonderful addition and continue to attract residents and visitors alike to our city. We are already a destination for outstanding beer – Schlafly, Side Project Celler, and soon to be Side Project Brewery – this will be another reason for individuals to visit.
The ordinance was adapted and passed unanimously by the Plan and Zoning Committee to address and alleviate some potential concerns related to selling hard liquor. I assure you that the Beer Seller is not a place one goes to in order to get drunk quickly and cheaply. If someone wanted to buy liquor, the grocery store is right next door (not to knock Shop n’ Save as they have a nice collection of beer and priced fairly in addition to selling liquor).
I am hopeful that with an outpouring of community support behind this idea and our elected officials being open minded to revising this decision, that the Beer Seller decision will be reversed.
Our community does a terrific job supporting local business and I hope we will support this one.
I apologize for the misspellings/typos — sent that message from my phone and should have read it for editing.
David
Did any of these council members visit the Clayton store? I’m guessing, based on their comments, that they haven’t. That aside, their disdain toward CBC as a chain store is laughable, given what’s already in Maplewood and what will be.
Dear Mr. Cerven, here is a simple definition of craft beer for you: “The Brewers Association defines American craft brewers as “small, independent and traditional”: “small” is defined as an “annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less”; “independent” is defined as at least 75% owned or controlled by a craft brewer; and “traditional” is defined as brewing in which at least 50% of the beer’s volume consists of “traditional or innovative” ingredients.” I found this in 10 seconds thanks to the informative combo of Google and Wikipedia.
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