Miska's - convenience or liquor store?

On March 4, 2008, Councilman Ralph Webster asked a question at the City Council meeting about the percentage of revenues of Miska’s Liquor that were alcohol related. From the Minutes of that meeting: “R. Webster expressed his concern with Miska’s Liquors. They originally approached Council as a convenient (sic) store but have since become a liquor store.”

As I recall, Mayor Sager said that Miska’s alcohol sales were less than 50% of its total revenues. In other words, it was a convenience store that was being allowed to sell liquor, not a liquor store that would also sell convenience store items.

I recall that Mayor Sager, who chairs the Woodstock Liquor Commission, told Councilman Webster that he would get back to him. (Now there’s a phrase that takes on new meaning after this year’s political season! wink, wink)

The next day I went into Miska’s (for the first and only time), and that store is clearly a liquor store. It was hard to find any merchandise that was non-alcoholic. Some bread, some milk, some candy. And rows and rows of liquor. And not only small, lower-priced bottles and brands.

Now, I have nothing against a store that sells liquor. If customers want to buy it, they should be able to. And they should have multiple store choices for their purchases. But if their deal with the City was that less than half of their sales would be liquor, then the City ought to be sitting up, taking notice and acting.

Back on June 22, I emailed Ralph Webster to ask if he had gotten an answer about the sales at Miska’s. Ralph replied that he’d check on it. So, in three months he hadn’t gotten an answer.

Now six more months have passed. When no further information was forthcoming, I emailed City Manager Tim Clifton on December 14 and asked for him to forward my request for information to the Liquor Commission. Tim’s a great City Manager and I’m sure he forwarded my email. However, no one from the Liquor Commission has responded.

Ralph’s concern on March 4th was a valid one and worthy of a prompt answer. I suspect that he had a reason for asking it. Questions like that don’t just come out of the blue. That it apparently hasn’t been answered for months causes me to wonder why.

I could, of course, ask my question about percentage of sales at any regularly-scheduled meeting of the Liquor Commission. Unfortunately, there aren't any Regular Meetings, only Special Meetings announced on the 48 hours’ required notice to members and posted at City Hall. The media (only certain members of the media, not The Woodstock Advocate (at least, not yet)) get notice of Special Meetings.