Downtown St. Charles deli granted license to sell alcohol

ST. CHARLES – A new corner market opening soon downtown will sell alcoholic beverages along with deli sandwiches and an array of convenience store items.

The City Council approved a liquor license on July 2 for Gordy's Quick Mart, at 101 E. Main St., in the former Starbucks location. The store will be licensed to sell packaged liquor only. Although Gordy's Quick Mart will have some outdoor seating for deli customers, alcohol consumption will not be permitted on site.

Teri Simic, of Wood Dale, and her son, Nicholas Simic, the store's operators, requested the license. The store's deli section will feature cold sandwiches along with hot items such as Italian beef and hot dogs. The Simics plan to offer delivery of their deli sandwiches to the St. Charles area.

The store is expected to open at the end of July or in early August.

Liquor and fuel tax discussions to continue

Council members are considering a couple of new taxes as they seek a way to raise more money for building, road and drainage projects. But aldermen have agreed more discussion is necessary on proposals to increase taxes on alcohol and gasoline purchases.

All businesses in the city that sell liquor may have to collect a 3 percent tax on their liquor sales if the City Council approves a recently proposed increase.

Aldermen decided this week to take more time to consider that sales tax. The city currently levies a 2 percent sales tax on alcohol. Council members plan to discuss the proposal at the Monday, July 16, Government Operations Committee meeting.

In a preliminary vote on the liquor tax increase in June, aldermen were divided on the issue. 

The city has imposed a 2 percent tax on liquor sales since 2009. Revenue from the liquor tax increase would boost city revenue by $500,000 annually, city officials estimated. Alcohol is also subject to excise tax by the state, with beer taxed at 23 cents a gallon, wine at $1.39 a gallon, and distilled spirits at $8.55 a gallon. The federal government also imposes excise tax on alcohol.

Aldermen also postponed deciding on another recently proposed tax of 2 cents a gallon on local fuel sales that could raise city revenue by $400,000 per year. The fuel tax ordinance will be on the agenda for the Monday, Aug. 6, council meeting.