Sheetz in downtown Kittanning may soon be selling beer and wine following the approval of Kittanning Borough for the transfer of the liquor license from Pizza Hut to Sheetz.
Kittanning Borough Council last night approved a liquor license transfer from Pizza Hut in East Franklin Township to Sheetz in downtown Kittanning.
Before the regular monthly meeting, Council convened a public hearing required by law. Attorney Mark E. Kozar with the firm Flaherty & O’Hara in Pittsburgh represented Sheetz at the hearing.
In order for the liquor license to be transferred, the receiving municipality must issue a resolution approving the transfer.
Sheetz Attorney Mark Kozar addressed Kittanning Borough Council during last night’s hearing on the transfer of a liquor license to the downtown Kittanning Sheetz.
Kozar told Council that Sheetz was founded in 1952. Over the past 65 years, it has expanded to over 600 stores in six states and employs more than 17,500 people.
Kozar said the Kittanning Sheetz will carry 150 kinds of beer for carry-out purchase or for consumption only within the seating area of the store. He clearly indicated that alcohol could not be consumed anywhere else in the store, including outside on the patio. He also said that Sheetz has a two-drink limit for beer and that there is no on-premise wine consumption. Beer on-premise consumption is tracked on a daily log sheet. Sheetz will sell up to four bottles of wine with an expanded permit from the Liquor Control Board. A walk-in beer “cave” will keep the alcohol separate from the general sales floor.
Kozar touted Sheetz policy that cards every person making beer or wine purchases. He said every inch of the store in under camera surveillance (with the exception of rest rooms) and that security is monitored by a Centralized Corporate Security Operations in Altoona as well as locally at each individual store.
Kozar said that the process of receiving approval of the license transfer from the State normally takes up to 120 days.
Before the vote, Council President Kim Chiesa works for a beer distribution company and said Sheetz is one of her customers. She praised Sheetz for its business practices.
Council members Kim Chiesa, David Croyle, Mike Johns, Chris Schiano, and Betsy Wilt, voted in favor of the transfer. Opposed were Scott Davis, Joe Kiehlmeier, and Andy Peters.