Documents included with Lower Saucon Township Council’s Nov. 15 meeting agenda have shed light on Giant Food Stores’ request for a liquor license transfer that would facilitate the sale of beer and wine at its store at 1880 Leithsville Road.
Council voted unanimously to approve the chain’s request to advertise a public hearing–a hearing that’s required whenever a liquor license transfer is proposed.
According to a Nov. 6 letter to township manager Leslie Huhn from an attorney for the Carlisle-based supermarket chain, Giant is seeking the transfer of a restaurant liquor license from Moore Township, Northampton County, in order to operate a 30-seat eatery inside the Lower Saucon Township store where beer would be sold for on-site consumption and to-go, and wine would also be sold, but only to-go.
“Giant’s restaurant in Lower Saucon Township will be a family-friendly restaurant which will have a specific delineated space, but also have interior connections or openings to the grocery store,” the letter from attorney Ellen M. Freeman of the Pittsburgh law firm of Flaherty & O’Hara states. “The restaurant will be located in a distinct, tastefully decorated and well accommodated area.”
Freeman indicated that to date the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has approved liquor licenses at 54 Giant stores throughout the state.
“A restaurant within Giant will offer another dining alternative in Lower Saucon Township,” she said.
According to Pennsylvania law, establishments with restaurant liquor licenses (including supermarkets) can sell six- and 12-packs of beer as well as single bottles for a total of up to 192 fluid ounces of beer per purchase. Up to four bottles of wine can be sold per purchase.
The Lower Saucon Township Giant is located in the Creekside Marketplace shopping center on Rt. 412, just south of Hellertown. The shopping center opened in 2002 and also houses a Pennsylvania Wine & Spirits Shoppe (state store).
Saucon Source has requested comment from Giant about its plans for in-store wine and beer sales at its Lower Saucon Township store but has not received a response.
